Woohoo! This was fun. I got the idea from Zane's new 'video bio' on Lego's website.
I do not own the cover photo, the dictionary definition of 'compatible,' or Ninjago.
But I DO own the acronym for Zane's name, Okay? Feel free to use, but CREDIT ME.
No slash, yuri, or yaoi will ever be in my stories.
Anything that looks like yaoi romance is brotherly love.
Please leave a comment on how much you loved/hated this story, constructive criticism pretty much required. (Yes. That was a joke. Ha ha.)
*facepalm.*
I sat with my brothers in my workshop, located behind the school. It was the place that I taught a select few children in the art of robotics.
But today was a Saturday, and there was no school. The grounds seemed rather empty and desolate without the pattering of little feet, and the joyful giggles of the children as they ran to their next classes.
I let out a sigh and sunk further into my chair, my arms resting on the wooden surface of the desk. My fingers tapped impatiently as I watched Jay, who was in the middle of explaining an inverted, counterproductive way of repairing Pixal.
I glanced around the room quickly, not letting Jay on to the fact that I wasn't really paying attention. Cole was sitting on the corner of a table against the far wall, swinging one leg casually as he nodded at all the correct times, smiling when it seemed necessary, and casting fleeting glances in my direction for help.
I smiled condescendingly and shook my head. He was on his own on this one, because I was fresh out of ideas. Might as well let Jay spout. Who knows? Perhaps it would be remotely possible for me to glean an idea from him.
I looked back at my dry erase board, where Jay was using about seven different colors to draw diagrams of his ideas. Right now, it looked like a solar panel.
...But the again, perhaps there was nothing to glean from this bubble. Pleasant to look at on the outside, but really just full of air.
Kai wasn't even pretending to listen. He drummed away at the table with the eraser side of one of my pencils, staring vacantly out of the window that gave an excellent view of the green behind the school. I followed his gaze, trying to figure out what he was staring at.
"...Either that," Jay sounded like he was enjoying himself just a bit too much as he spoke in a know-it-all-tone. "Or we could find a way to make her a self-sustaining source of energy."
I shifted my eyes to the whiteboard before Jay had a chance to suspect that he had just lost another man to boredom. I lifted a hand and stroked my chin, taking my time in formulating a polite version of 'that's the worst idea I've ever heard, please let someone who actually knows what they're doing mess with my girlfriend.'
I bit my lip and forced the thought into a dark corner of my mind. "Thank you, Jay." I said slowly. "That was insightful, and quite lackluster, if I might add. I appreciate your efforts." I swallowed back a chuckle when Jay didn't notice the weight of my contradicting reply.
Jay wiped the board clean and nodded, his lips curling into a smile. "Anytime, Zane." He sat down next to the ninja of fire and elbowed his side. "Your turn, Kai." He said with a grin.
Kai blinked, startled out of a daydream by Jay's touch. He let out a yawn and shook his head. The pencil started drumming a little faster. "I've got nothing, sorry." He looked at me apologetically and gave me a grin that seemed almost forced. "Robotics just aren't my thing."
Cole slid off of the table and started to pace the room slowly, humming softly to himself as he got lost in thought.
I watched him in silence, somewhat amused. We had been sitting around for several hours now, brainstorming ideas that hadn't really stuck. Cole had gone through this pacing fury several times since we had first gotten back from our mission.
After a few minutes of relative silence, in which Jay made only a few short comments, I stood up slowly and walked over to the table where Pixal laid with her panel open, exposing a very complex system of wires and circuitry that might have left my father in a whirl of excitement, if he had still been alive.
I fought back a wave of emotions as I pursed my lips and examined her design for perhaps the thousandth time.
I had already created an emotion processor for her, but it would be useless if we didn't find a way to recharge her batteries.
Cole swung his arms behind his back and clasped them there, and his brow furrowed suddenly as the humming stopped. He looked up at me slowly and spoke. "Hey, Zane. How are you powered?"
I turned to face him and gave him a quizzical stare. "I believe that is irrelevant, Cole." I tried not to sound too impatient. "We are talking about Pixal, not me."
Cole shook his head quickly. "Forgive me Zane, but I have to say you are very likely wrong on that point." He strode right up to me and looked me over, once again humming thoughtfully. "Would you mind if I looked at your panel?"
A strange request, in my opinion. But I decided to oblige him, just this once. I pulled at the tie around my middle and pulled the sash free. I shrugged the white gi from my shoulders and tossed it to a chair, then opened my panel.
Cole stared at it wordlessly for a whole minute before asking me questions about every piece in his sight. Everything from obscure wires that enhanced motor coordination to microchips that held my memories.
After several minutes, Cole's finger finally found a piece I could not identify.
His gaze had fallen onto the same piece that had captivated Pixal not twenty four hours before. "What does that do?" He pressed a button, and the rounded piece opened up, revealing the glowing blue ring. He touched it before I could stop him.
A short zapping sound, and a moment of senselessness as Cole's hand brushed against the cyan blue center. The ring seemed to explode with light for half a second, and I fell to the floor with a short yelp of surprise and sudden blinding pain.
I sat upright and shut my panel quickly, then hugged my knees to my chest defensively. The pain quickly diminished to a dull throb as I looked up at Cole in shock.
Cole stood with a look of complete shock on his face, the offending hand held out as if it were diseased.
He flexed it in front of his face, then smiled triumphantly. "Ha!" He laughed, oblivious to the pain he had just caused me. "Zane, it's your power!" He looked at me as if I was supposed to know exactly what he was talking about.
He held out his hand and helped me to my feet carefully. "Please let me see again," he asked eagerly.
I became aware of a slight tremor in my hands as I considered his request. Of course I trusted him not to hurt me on purpose, but accidents do happen. And the pain that always accompanied someone touching the blue center was almost more than I could bear.
Cole sensed my hesitation and took a step back. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to sound so pushy."
I shook my head quickly and opened the panel, scolding myself for my behavior. "No," I said, beckoning him forward. Jay joined the master of earth this time in the examination, although Kai stayed put in his seat. No longer bored and disengaged, but simply uninterested in seeing the insides of his friend. He was supportive from the stands, and not actually on the track, in a manner of speaking.
"Would you look at that?" Jay said in amazement as he carefully examined the piece. "You're right, Cole. That is definitely the power source."
Cole carefully studied my face for confirmation before stepping close again. He studied the large, round piece in wonder. "You know, when I touched it, it had felt sort of like soft putty." A short pause. "Do you know what this stuff is made of, Zane?"
I shook my head quickly. "No, I haven't studied it closely enough. Even breathing on it causes a considerable amount of pain, let alone digging in it with a probe."
Cole and Jay seemed to take my reply as a hint and backed away slightly, evidently afraid of hurting me with their breath.
I smiled kindly for just a moment before letting it drop back into a frown. "It's all right, just please don't try to blow it out or something irrational of that nature."
Cole gave me a startled look. "Why on earth would we try to blow out your power source, Zane?"
My arm suddenly twitched, and I reached up and scratched my head to cover for it. "It was a joke," I said. It was a weak excuse for an explanation, but they didn't seem to care.
Jay laughed. "So all we need to do is find out how to duplicate this stuff, and we'll be boogying."
Cole's head bobbed up and down in approval. "How long would it take to copy your heart, Zane?"
My eyes grew wide with alarm, and I slowly backed myself into the chair my gi top was sitting on in a crumpled mess. I started to breath a little faster, and my mouth stood slightly agape as I stared up at Cole's face in shock.
Kai got to his feet and appeared in front of me. His eyes were wide with concern. "Or maybe," he began quickly. "We could give the Nindroid a break and-"
"Don't!" I shouted angrily, surprising even myself with my behavior, let alone my teammates. My right hand shot up, and I jabbed it in Kai's face.
They all stared at me, completely dumbfounded. And they had good reason to be surprised. I rarely ever shouted, and I never interrupted.
But I made no move to apologize, and I continued speaking as the three ninja stood in front of me, wide eyed and open mouthed in shock.
I shut my chest panel abruptly, and it latched with a muffled bang. "Do not call me a Nindroid, Kai!" I said in a hoarse whisper as I tried to control my wrath. Each word was forced out like a two-ton boulder being pushed over a cliff. "You may never give me the same title as my half brothers."
Cole nodded quickly in understanding. The other two were still in shock, and couldn't seem to find their voices to reply.
"I had no idea you felt that way," Cole said quietly, breaking the silence before it got too thick. "I'm sorry, Zane."
I looked up at Cole with trembling eyes and a blanched face. "Please," I softened my tone. "Just leave for a while." I turned my gaze to Pixal's face, and my heart started beating faster.
My mind started to race as I felt the pulse in my chest. My...heart? An idea came to my mind right then, and my hands started to tremble. I am a fool to even consider such a thing...
"When can we return?" Cole asked in a gentle, patient tone. He did no want to invoke my wrath again.
I closed my eyes against the wave of nausea for several seconds before reopening them with a shaky sigh. "I don't know," my voice came barely above a whisper now. "I have an idea on how to bring her back, so..." I did some quick calculations in my head. "Maybe-"
"Woah, there." Kai held up a hand, halting the conversation. "Who said we were leaving?"
I suddenly went defensive. "I did, Kai."
Kai dropped onto his knees abruptly and rested his elbow on my armrest. "Well, I'm certainly not leaving you here alone," he said firmly.
I opened my mouth in protest, but Jay interrupted. "At least tell us what your plan is before you kick out, Zane."
I stared at all of them in turn for a long moment before speaking. "I..." How on earth do you drop a bomb like that on someone? "I am going to give Pixal a part of my heart." I examined their faces again for approval I was certain I would not find.
Jay looked unshaken. He nodded slowly and smiled. "It would work," he walked over to Pixal's body and poked at some wires. "Cole said it had a texture like putty. You could adhere it between these two-"
Kai cut him off suddenly. "Jay, how on earth could you be that calm about this?" His eyes were alight with concern. "This is our brother, and you're letting him give up something as important as life energy for her?" He pointed at Pixal accusingly.
I suddenly felt full of rage as I stared at Kai. "How could you ever say that, you..." I let my words trail off as I clenched my fists. I had to work doubly hard to restrain myself from shoving his nose into his hotheaded brain.
Kai saw the look in my eyes and backed up quickly, fear and bewilderment evident on his face. "Well it's the truth, isn't it?"
Cole crossed his arms over his chest and gave Kai a hard look. "I don't think you understand what's going on here," he said slowly.
"What is there to understand?" Kai fumed.
Jay stepped between Pixal and me. "You've never had a female lover." He grabbed my hand and put it on top of the other android's colorless appendage. "A man will do anything for the girl he loves, Kai."
Kai turned to Cole. "And you understand this love how?" He challenged.
Cole crossed his arms over his chest and gave Kai a stare that warned against pushing the matter further.
Kai's mouth opened wide to make a retort, then shut with a snap after nothing presented itself in his mind. "Okay," his voice was subdued and defeated. "So I don't know what you guys are feeling." He looked at me. "But how will this effect you?"
I realized that I hadn't considered that part of the plan. I pursed my lips and shrugged, silently reprimanding myself for my carelessness. "I don't know, perhaps I just won't have as much energy? I may need to rest more, or maybe I won't be effected at all."
Kai shook his head. "It just sounds too risky," his voice was laced with concern. "What if it kills you?"
I set my jaw and took a deep breath. "Then Pixal can have my whole heart." Gag. That sounded terrible...
Cole seemed hesitant. "I won't stop you, brother." He said slowly. "Even though I can't say I'm exactly happy with this choice, I will definitely help you."
Jay let go of my hand and put it on my shoulder. "This'll be a cinch," he said in his usual chipper voice. "Just tell me what you want me to do."
Kai could not hide his disapproval. His eyebrows furrowed, and his lips were pulled into a thin line. "I won't stop you," he said. "But I won't help either. Fair enough?"
I gave him a reprimanding look and smiled sourly. "That's sweet of you, my friend."
Kai's frown broke apart and he gave me a sarcastic smile. "Don't let it go to your head." He walked up to me and hit my shoulder. "Do you want me to stand in the corner and smile nicely through the ordeal, or go help Dareth prepare Monday's lessons?"
I gave him a quick hug. "I know you don't particularly enjoy robotics, so you don't have to stay."
"As long as you don't take offense, I guess I will take my leave." The master of fire replied, extricating himself from my grasp and going for the door. He opened the door and turned to me one last time, saluting comically before shutting it.
Jay looked at me and smiled encouragingly. "What should we do?"
All the levity left the room with Kai. I slumped into my chair and rested my forehead in my palm. "Now, we dig into my heart and pull out a generous chunk, then-"
"First, we examine Pixal to be completely sure that this will work." Cole interrupted. "I'm not willing to put you through that much pain, only to find out that it won't work."
Jay waved his hand dismissively and laughed lightly. "I know it will work. Pixal has a fairly simple design, unlike our Nindr-" he caught himself and pretended to cough. "Our Zane, so it will not be difficult to get this done." He pointed to Pixal's power plug. "You would just need to get that blue putty all around this cord, and it should become a self-sustaining energy source."
I had to admit, Jay's enthusiasm and confidence helped me out a lot. I stayed the tremble in my fingers and spoke. "So will you two help me get my heart out?" I tried not to sound too neurotic.
Cole examined my face carefully before nodding. "Of course, Zane. But I'm not entirely certain that you are ready."
The blunt statement annoyed me greatly. "Why wouldn't I be ready?" I shot into his face with a harsh scowl.
Cole patiently placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "I do not doubt your resolve, my brother. I am merely doubting your emotions. You are letting them control you, and I won't lie about it. I don't particularly enjoy what I am seeing."
My eyebrows lifted slightly in understanding. "I'm sorry, Cole." I said with quickly. "I just haven't been myself lately." I did not actually feel sorry, but I didn't want to start a dispute. Claim the fault, keep the friendship.
Jay let out a short laugh. "You most certainly haven't been yourself. I agree. The question is," he paused, trying to collect himself. "Will you change again when she wakes up?"
I held back a tear. I'm not sure why I suddenly wanted to cry. My world was turning upside down and inside out, perhaps I deserved to let a few tears fall.
But not in front of them. I blinked away the excess moisture and cleared my throat. "I cannot say for sure, my brothers." Against my will, my voice had cracked. "But would you be willing to let me change?"
Cole and Jay nodded slowly and gravely as of of one mind. It was all the answer I needed.
I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Thank you." I forced my voice to sound somewhat normal as I pretended to be brave.
I went into a drawer against the wall and drew out several pairs of gloves. I handed them both a set.
Jay slid the latex gloves on and flexed his fingers. "What's the order of the procedure?" He asked after a few seconds.
I looked at him questioningly. "Come again?"
"You know,"Jay looked surprised. "You usually have a written list of the order of operations." He held up his fingers one by one as he elaborated. "Step one, prepare parts, step two, prepare blueprints, step-"
"Okay, we get it." Cole slapped a gloved hand over Jay's mouth with a dry laugh. He looked at me. "But I agree with him there, Zane. What is the plan?"
I realized that the thought of making a plan had completely escaped me. That was something I had never done before in my life. I scolded myself. I was about to rip into my own heart to save this android, and I had failed to come up with a plan.
"I don't know," I said, raising Jay's eyebrows. "Use a sterile knife and tweezers, pull out half of my heart, adhere it to Pixal's power cord."
"Immediately?" Cole asked. "You want us to adhere the power substance to her cord immediately after extracting it?"
I nodded and gathered my supplies. I handed Jay the tweezers, and Cole hesitantly took the knife. I grabbed my bo staff, which had been propped up in a corner, and a piece of stiff leather left over from my last project.
Cole raised a bushy eyebrow. "What's that stuff for?" He gestured to my unlikely tools of choice.
I sat down in the chair and bit my lower lip hard. "Stuff to keep me from fighting." I said frankly. I clamped my teeth down on the leather and opened my panel for them. The five small panels opened up and revealed the glowing substance in question.
I took a deep breath and put the staff behind my back, perpendicular to my spine, and braced the insides of my elbows on the back of the long pole. Now, if I tried to reach out with my arms and claw their faces off, I would only press the staff into my spinal cord. I could not move my arms, even if I wanted to.
Cole looked into my eyes long and hard before he bit his lip and let a tear fall from one of his green eyes. He swallowed a lump and spoke. "No hard feelings?" His voice cracked.
I shook my head, unable to reply properly because of the bitter leather between my teeth. I told you to do it, I wished I could say. You would be a fool to believe I would ever stop loving you all because I told you to hurt me. I did my best to project that thought into his mind through my eyes.
Cole nodded slowly and let a tear fall from his other eye before blinking and forcing himself into sobriety. He exchanged a quick glance with Jay, who nodded and held up the tweezers, trying to levitate the mood slightly by pinching them in a manner that was supposed to be somewhat funny.
Cole got onto one knee before me and held the knife out in his shaky hand.
"Get a hold of yourself, Cole." Jay said firmly. "Shaky fingers make mistakes."
Cole nodded and looked at my face one last time before taking a deep breath and plunging the knife into the glowing ring.
I braced myself, but was unprepared for the amount of pain that coursed through my entire body as the sharp knife cut my heart. I bit down on the leather hard as a blinding pain went through every part of my body, from the tips of my fingers to my brain, down my torso and into my feet.
My muscled flexed and tears sprang into my eyes as I pulled against the staff, ignoring the pain of the wood in my spine because it paled in comparison to the pain from Cole's knife. My teeth bit down on the leather so hard I though I might have shredded it.
I let a low moan escape my throat, and the veins on my neck became painfully visible as I began to sweat. Droplets of the salty liquid dripped down into my eyes and caused more pain. My breaths were fast and deep, and my eyes were pressed shut as I began to lose consciousness.
"Hold him steady, Jay." I thought I heard Cole say in the distance. "Keep him from moving, or I might hit something I shouldn't."
Just when I felt that I couldn't take another second of the agony, it suddenly let up. The pain lingered as a dull throb, but it was more bearable than what had ravaged my body seconds before. I slowly opened my eyes and looked up, wondering if this was just another part of the waking dream.
Jay held a chunk of blue light carefully in one hand, holding it out for presentation. He had a weak smile in his face, although anyone could tell he was anything but pleased with what he had just helped Cole accomplish.
My chest heaved as I closed my eyes again and hung my head in exhaustion, not even caring if the sweat droplets burned my eyeballs. All I could feel was an overpowering relief, now that it was over.
I felt a damp cloth begin to massage my forehead and clean away the offending salt beads. My leather scrap was pulled from my mouth, and the bo staff was carefully slid out from behind me.
I fell backward in the chair and moaned loudly, not even daring to open my eyes, for fear that I might begin to cry.
"Zane?" Cole's voice was shaky and weak. "It's over. You're okay now."
I refused to answer, feeling the need to indulge in self pity until the terrible throbbing ceased.
"Do you want us to wait before we power her up, or should we just do it now?" Cole pressed on gently.
My eyes flew open with a short gasp. Pixal! I shot up from the chair and fell onto my hands and knees as stars began to dance in my vision.
Cole bent over and helped me back onto my feet. "I'm so, so sorry, Zane." He was crying silently as he wrapped an arm around my middle to help me stay upright. "I can't believe we just did that to you."
I tried to find my voice, but found that I couldn't speak past the dryness in my lungs and throat.
With Cole's help, I slowly made my way to the table where Pixal lay, and I fell to my knees.
I had no control over myself anymore. I buried my arms and face on the table and began to sob. The tears dripped down my already sweat-drenched and pain filled arms. The pain was everywhere.
Cole dropped to his knees beside me and rubbed my shoulders gently, trying to get me to calm down.
Jay eventually spoke up. "Hey, listen." His voice was hesitant. "I don't want to rush you or anything, Zane. But this section of your heart is making my hands tingle. Should I set it down?"
I shook my head and spoke haltingly. "J-just put it in, Jay." My voice was exceptionally hoarse.
"You don't want to do it?" Jay pressed me.
I shook my head in reply and lifted my head from my arms. "You can do it."
Jay nodded and walked to the opposite side of the table so I could see his face. He was very pale, and his hands had a slight tremor as he picked up Pixal's cord and wrapped the glowing substance around it carefully.
I slowly straightened and shifted my position, so I could watch more comfortably.
We all waited in expectant silence for a full minute before my hope started to trickle out of my mind. She was not responding.
Despair filled me after another minute of silence, and I slowly lowered my body to the floor in a crumpled heap. The pain had not dwindled since Jay had extracted the portion of my heart. Or if it had dwindled, the change was too subtle to notice.
Cole reached out and wrapped his arms around me, then carefully pulled me onto his lap. I stared vacantly at the window, not fully aware of what was going on anymore.
The only thought that made its way through my mind was that I had failed. I had made my friends go through the horrible duty of taking my heart apart, and all for nothing.
I felt weak. So terribly nauseas and weak that I had trouble doing anything. So I simply buried my face in Cole's shirt and cried silent tears of exhaustion and defeat. Why could I not control myself? I was a weak, brittle shell, filled with overpowering emotions and thoughts that threatened to crack my exterior.
Jay sat down next to us and crossed his legs there. He stared at his hands, unable to come up with a witty remark for our situation.
Cole kept his arms around me, and rocked back and forth gently, making gentle hushing noises as he kept me from falling into insanity.
What had I done?
After a long time, the sun began its slow descent to the horizon. I had dried up, and Jay had retreated to the schoolhouse to help Kai. My body had run out of liquid to shed, and I was left with a vacant hole in my chest, a feeling I blamed partially on the fact that I was missing half of my heart.
Cole eventually began to try and bring me back to reality. "Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered in my ear.
I shook my head slowly and blinked. "No." Why did I feel so weak and emotional? I could not remember ever feeling like this before in my life.
Silence reigned again for several more minutes before I dared to speak again.
"Please, would you leave me alone with her for a while?" I forced my diaphragm to still itself. The sobs calmed somewhat.
Cole nodded, apparently grateful that I was at least a little responsive. "Take all the time you need, brother." He unwrapped his arms and gently pushed me off of his lap. He stood and offered me a hand up, which I took.
I gripped the table for support as more stars danced in my vision.
"You okay?" Cole asked. "You look a little dizzy."
I nodded, only jumbling my vision further. "I will be fine, Cole. Thank you for your concern." I flashed him a dead smile.
Cole frowned at me, then offered his own little smile, which consisted of a single cheek that was bunched just a touch for half a second before it straightened again. "Do you want me to come back, or will you come inside by yourself later?"
I hesitated. "If I'm not inside within an hour, you can come back for me." I turned my back to him and stared at Pixal's unresponsive face, telling him that I was done speaking.
I heard the door open and shut quietly, and I was alone.
Alone.
The thought made me quiver. Was I alone in this room? Was Pixal really gone forever?
I held out a quivering hand and touched her cheek gently, as if afraid I would awaken her if my touch were any heavier.
What was it she had said right before she died?
Are we compatible?
I had replied with a definite yes.
Compatible. (Of two things) able to exist or occur together without conflict.
Compatible. (Of two people) able to have a harmonious relationship: well-suited.
Compatible. (Of a computer, a piece of software or other device) able to be used with a specified piece of equipment or software without special adaptation or modification.
"Were we?" I whispered as I looked at her elaborate systems. "Were we compatible?" At the time, I had been so certain. So very adamant in my belief that her words were true. But now, with my fingers running through her wires and circuitry system, I was beginning to doubt.
My pale, trembling hand went over a few of her wires, and I brushed a speck of dust off of one of her gears. She was so very beautiful. Her systems were an intricate puzzle that was hard for me to even fathom. And if even one of those pieces were out of place, the unit as a whole wouldn't work.
Something clicked in my mind. If even one piece was out of place...
I began to work with a vengeance, blindly wiggling at wires and pushing gears with shaky fingers. Perhaps her altercation with Cryptor had jarred something, and I simply needed to push it back into place, like a single bulb on a strand of Christmas lights.
Click.
The sound made my half a heart stop for a long moment. I had pushed on a gear, and it had shifted into position.
My eyes widened as I watched her body slowly awaken. It started with a stronger glow at the end of her power cord, where Jay had placed the putty-like substance, and worked its way from there, lighting fuses and spinning gears until her body jerked to life.
I took a step backwards in surprise as her chest began to rise and fall in gentle cadence, and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times before turning her head toward me, and she smiled as her hand reached up and shut her panel.
"Zane?" Her voice was monotonous and crackled. And so very beautiful.
I let out a single cry of joy and leapt forward, wrapping my arms around her and holding her body close to mine.
Pixal did not share my ecstasy. She sat rigid and stiff, not entirely sure how she should respond. "I can feel an injury on you, Zane." She said after a moment. She pushed herself roughly out of my grasp and got to her feet.
She looked at my bare chest and abruptly opened my panel before I could react.
I watched her with hurt feelings as she examined me wordlessly and emotionlessly. "You can...feel my pain?" I asked after I found my voice.
Pixal gave me a short nod. "When you used the techno blade on me, you connected us. You now control me, and I am your assistant." Her blank expression drove a dagger into my chest. She did not care that I had just saved her. She did not care that I had just gone through the worst experience in my life to bring her back.
She did not care that I loved her.
I forced myself not to fall over. I was frustrated by the fact that I felt so weak. "But I don't want to own you, Pixal." I said softly, drawing her eyes away from my outdated circuit boards. "I want you to be free. That is what I stand for, remember?"
Pixal nodded. "You told me you stranded for peace, freedom, and courage in the face of all adversity." Her eyes went back to my cavity.
"Exactly," I nodded. Her fingers felt like a breeze blowing through my systems, tickling my wires. I forced myself not to start convulsing at the sudden nerve response, and I spoke again. "And owning you is not freedom."
Pixal shut my panel with a gentle click. "I can see that your strange blue piece is broken. Is that what pains you?"
My mouth opened slightly in shock. Now she was trying to change the conversation? My knees buckled and I fell over backwards, overcome by weakness and shock.
Pixal leapt forward and caught me in her arms before my head could hit the floor. Without even blinking an eye, she set me back on my feet, then pushed me into a chair.
She turned her back to me and scanned the room as she adjusted her shirt on her shoulders. It was falling a little lower on her white and purple frame than usual, and I felt a strong need to address the issue. But I couldn't quite find my voice in my anguish. She had rejected my affections and told me she was my assistant. My slave.
I shook my head firmly and got to my feet. Never. Never in a million years would I make her my 'assistant.' She would either be my companion, or she would be free to leave. Never would I make her a slave.
I dug into my pocket and pulled out a small green chip. "Pixal?" I addressed her carefully.
She turned to face me, and I cleared my throat. Was it wrong for her shirt to look like that? Yesterday was one thing, but this was simply...immodest. Did androids even have to worry about modesty? I decided I would ignore the problem for just one more minute. If she accepted, she would need to open her panel again, anyways.
I held out the device and put it in her palm. "It's an emotion processor, Pixal." I said with a faulty attempt at a smile. "If you would like to keep it, I will help you install it."
Pixal nodded and wrapped her fingers around it. "If it would please you, Zane."
I cringed when she said my name. She was much too formal and polite. Nothing suggested friendship or familiarity in the monotonous tone.
I shook my head firmly and kept my eyes on hers. "Would it please you, Pixal?"
The female android hesitated. "My old master, Cyrus Borg, has been trying for several months now to create what you just gave me. He said I would enjoy what it brings. What do you say?"
I smiled a little warmer and nodded. "I would say yes, you may enjoy it very much."
Pixal seemed pleased by my answer. She let the shirt fall from her white and purple shoulder and opened the panel. "Where does it go, Zane?" She held the chip in her palm for me to take.
I grabbed it and went for the slot. I had already examined her circuitry earlier, and had made myself completely certain that I had found the right slot for the device I had programmed earlier that morning. Cyrus had clearly planned for upgrades, although he apparently had never made any before the Overlord's return.
"Wait," Pixal grabbed my hand and stopped me.
I hesitated. "Yes, Pixal?" Her hand felt warm and soft on mine.
She gave me a genuine smile. "I think I have a good acronym for your name. Would you like to hear it?"
I blinked, bewildered. She was still thinking about that?
"If you would like to," I said after a few seconds.
She nodded. "You are Z.A.N.E, the Zoetic Assistant Non-organic Entity." She paused to let that sink in. "Does it fit?"
My vision blurred with tears as I nodded. "Yes, I believe it does." How perfect she is, I thought to myself.
Pixal appeared happy that she had pleased me. "That is good, because I have been trying to make it work since I first met you. It has been a very time consuming project for me," she let a short grin bunch her purple streaked cheek. "But it was the first thing I had ever done independently of Cyrus."
I smiled and kissed her cheek. That seems to surprise her, and she took a step backwards defensively. "I am ready," she said quickly.
Patience, Zane. I told myself. That was a little too fast. I took a deep breath and inserted the chip. "It will take about a minute to download," I said as it clicked into place.
Pixal suddenly went rigid, and her eyes closed as a single word flashed across a small screen in her torso. Downloading... The word flashed on and off for about a minute.
I waited expectantly, wondering if it hurt her at all to have that big of a change inside of her system. I bit my lips and reprimanded myself. I should have given her a warning.
Her eyes suddenly flew open with a gasp, and she fell to her knees. I tried to help her up, but she waved my hand away as she gasped for breath, letting out occasional coughs.
I reached down and grabbed her shirt, knowing that she would most likely want it when she recovered. And if she didn't want it...
I held back a nervous laugh. I would hit her upside the head and bolt out the door, wishing I hadn't fallen in love with a lunatic.
But to my relief, she looked up at me and immediately grabbed at the purple cloth. She shut her panel and pulled it over her head quickly, making sure it rode a little higher on her torso than before.
I held out my hand for her to take. My heart was beating wildly in anticipation and excitement as she took the hand and allowed me to pull her to her feet. "How do you feel?" I asked.
Her green eyes lit up with delight as she smiled at me, flashing white teeth and perfect white lips.
She threw her arms around my neck and began to cry tears of joy on my shoulder. "Complete, Zane." She laughed. "I feel complete."
I stood in total shock for a few seconds before returning the embrace.
I ignored the weakness in my knees and the dull throb that still pulsed through every part of my being as I spun her in a circle.
To my surprise and mild disappointment, my knees buckled once again as I held her above my head. The effects of having only half of a heart were going to take some getting used to.
I let out a shout of surprise as I fell to the floor, and Pixal landed on top of me.
The sparkle in her eyes left my head spinning as I stared back. She slid off of my lap and pulled me to a sitting position. "Thank you, Zane." She whispered.
My half of a heart combined with hers. We were meant to go together, to make a whole. We were indeed compatible.
Pixal began to giggle as she embraced me. "I love you, Zane."
My eyes widened in surprise. Love? This was no longer a desperate chase for a girl with no heart, who's one purpose in life was to assist. Pixal had gained a new life through my sacrifice. My gifts to her had won the love of this android. This girl, who I would give my entire heart to, if only to see her happy.
I let out a laugh and returned the embrace, no longer caring about the throbbing pain throughout my body. We were together. "I love you too, Pixal."
Okay...love it? Hate it? Mediocre it?
Yeah, I'm aware that mediocre does really fit the sentence. Sue me.
Please leave a comment, constructive criticism appreciated!