Epilogue

118-7 stared up through the grating of the bunk bed above him at the sleeping form of his older brother, 118-6. He fiddled with the cable plugged into his left wrist as he reflected on why he could not shut himself down. Everytime he closed his eyes, he could see Roxy crying. And an all too familiar ache was starting to settle on his metaphorical heart.

He could not. . . could he? Was it possible that instead of being deleted, his feelings were only suppressed?

Roxy McSocks smiled and purred when she saw 118-7 was already waiting on their bench, as usual. She ran the rest of the way and threw her arms around him.

"Look. You and I, we've both managed to put aside our differences so far. . . and. . . My Mum told me that her folks weren't happy with my Dad but she stuck with him and that's taught her, she taught me, that love is never wrong. So I don't believe this is wrong."

"I wonder how they'd react if I told them. . . ?"

"Not well I would imagine."

"But we're not even doing anything bad."

Seven sighed and caressed her cheek. "I know."

Roxy smiled and purred, leaning into it. He smiled back.

She sat down on the sofa beside him. As the movie began he glanced at her trying to decide whether or not to put his arm around her. A few moments later, he did. She smiled up at him, purring and snuggled closer. Seven smiled back and could not help but notice how soft and warm she was.

Roxy smiled standing up on the bench. "You know, Seven. I never really did thank you properly for saving me." She seized him by the lapels and pulled him into a kiss.

"Roxy," he whimpered and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his burgundy pyjamas.

He laughed, a hollow laugh that could not be faked. "Still? That 118-7 is dead. It amuses me that you shed tears for he who no longer exists."

Seven closed his eyes, reflecting on the way he had felt then. Inevitably though, the image of Roxy in tears appeared instead. Would it never leave him? There was only one thing for it, he'd have to go to the hospital and apologise and hope she would accept it and take him back. He got quietly out of bed, exchanged his pyjamas for his suit which he had left hanging on a hook mounted onto the end of Six's bed and, crept over to the door and quietly slipped out.

Mercedes Paw yawned. "I'm going to get some hot chocolate, Sal, you want some?"

Sal blinked. "What's hot chocolate?"

The red bear smiled. "I'll get you some anyway." She gently moved Roxy's head back onto the pillow and pulled the covers up to her chin, then left the room quietly closing the door behind her.

Sal sighed and went over to the window. She pulled it open and lent on the windowsill as looked down then up the street. She spotted a dejected Telemarketer standing in the middle of the street looking up at the hospital. He dropped his gaze to his feet and so did not see her.

A huge beam nearly split her face in two when she saw that the Telemarketer was wearing a scarf. That was her father! She leaned out of the window and hollered "DAD!"

He looked up, met her gaze and his eyebrows shot up.

Sal pulled the window open further and gestured for him to fly up to it. 118-7 looked hesitant, but after glancing around at the empty, moonlit street he did so.

The Hybrid was grinning like the Cheshire Cat as he climbed in through the window. She waited patiently until his feet were on the floor before launching herself at him and hugging him tightly.

"Oof! Goodness, I didn't know I deserved such a welcome."

Sal looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do you mean, after what I did to Roxy?"

"What did you do?"

Seven sighed. "I see, you don't know."

"Well whatever happened, she was too upset to tell us. Though she did give me a name."

"What's that?"

"Sal," she replied proudly.

He smiled despite himself and returned the hug. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sal."

She purred louder and hugged him tighter.

Roxy stirred. "Mmm Sal?" her voice was hoarse, barely audible whisper.

"Mum! Look who's here!"

The blue Toon looked and her eyes widened. Then tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Roxy," he began, breaking off the hug. "I. . . don't know what to say. . ."

"Why did you come back?"

"I meant everything I said to you back there, at the time that is. But. . . for whatever reason. . . my feelings were not deleted, only suppressed. Roxy, I still love you."

She looked like she did not know whether to believe him or not.

The Hybrid smiled. "Go on, Dad."

Seven gave her a confused smile wondering what she had meant by that, before hesitantly approaching Roxy, leaning over her and planting a kiss on her lips. He broke off to stare hopefully into her eyes and was momentarily alarmed when he saw tears spilling from them. Then she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, pulling him down onto the bed.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he asked, speaking into the pillow.

Roxy just hugged him tighter and purred.

He smiled. "I'll take that as a yes."

The door opened and Mercedes Paw entered, a cup of hot chocolate in each hand. "Here we are Sal, I-. . ." She took in the shocked expressions of the room's occupants. "What's going on here?"

"Dad came back to apologise to Mum for putting her in hospital," Sal piped up.

Sadie's look of surprise morphed to anger. "He did what?"

"It's not what you think," Seven blurted out, pulling out of Roxy's arms. "No wait, it's exactly what you think. Um, how do I explain?"

"Start at the beginning?" Sal offered.

"Please don't hurt him," Roxy added.

"Why are you here?!"

"I love her," the Telemarketer replied simply.

She was stunned. ". . . What?"

"I love her," he repeated.

Mercedes half slammed the hot chocolate down onto the bedside table, seized him by the lapels and slammed him against the wall. "Is this some kind of joke?!" She snarled.

"From a Cog?" asked Sal.

"Seven!" Roxy yelped.

"No! It's not. . . I'm here aren't I? I risked a lot. . ."

The red bear stared deep into his eyes and noticed that his gaze lacked the coldness and mirthlessness it once held. "You really love her?"

"Yes."

"What does it feel like?"

"A warm and fuzzy feeling."

"Good gravy, it works."

Sal and Roxy exchanged looks confusion leaving 118-7 to ask the obvious, "What. . . worked?"

Mercedes let go of his lapels and straighten his suit by way of an apology. "This was years ago. Gyro Gearloose tagged on a hidden program to the Original Cogs that would allow them to fall in love with a Toon. He theorised that they had would have used their own programming to program the next generation of Cogs, since their own programming skills were relatively poor at the time. We've been waiting for something like this to happen, though Gyro was not sure if the program even worked."

"But. . . Why did he. . . ?"

"Why not? Scrooge just wanted them to make him money, Gyro wanted to give them, well a life."

"I'm the first you've heard of?"

"Yes."

"The Vice President mentioned there was a Cold Caller that fell in love with a Toon, but he had the program and his memories deleted of the incident. And. . . that sort of happened to me, which is why I attacked her."

Mercedes smiled. "That won't work. The program appears to run separately, but is actually tagged onto your compassion program. What was deleted was the decoy, which deactivated the real program. Like pulling off the leaves of a dandelion; it appears to be gone, but the roots are still there. The Cold Caller, or whatever he is now can still love the Toon, he just needs the program reactivated. Anyway, Sal, here's your hot chocolate."

Sal took the cup and sipped it cautiously. "Mmmmmm," she said, her face lighting up.

Mercedes ruffled Roxy's hair. "Feeling better now?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Come on, Sal," she said grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her out of the room. "Let's give them some alone time." She winked at them as she closed the door behind her.

Sal looked up from her drink, a hot chocolate moustache on her top lip and a look of confusion on her face. "How can they be alone if they're together?"

"Uh. . . Nevermind, kid. You'll understand when you're older."

"When can I see you again?" Roxy asked as 118-7 climbed out the window.

He stopped and looked back at her then sighed. "The Vice President terminated my mission. It's life back to normal for me, I'm afraid. I can only sneak out to see you every once in a while."

"But I can still see you again?"

The Telemarketer smiled. "Of course."

"I love you."

"I love you too." His propellors roared to life and he ascended out of her sight.

She waited till he could no longer hear them before settling down further under the covers and closing her eyes.

Wilson Cheese looked up from the Toon book of Babies Names he was reading through at a knock on the door. "Enter."

829-5, complete with new arms entered. The Master himself had had his left eye, arm and most of the left side of his head replaced, and he was wearing a new suit jacket. He looked none the worse for wear despite having passed out afterwards, and 829-5 almost found it hard to believe that he had been attacked with such ferocity.

"Master the, er, your daughter is awake."

He smiled. "Good. I believe I have found a name for her."

The Hybrid had woken up to find herself behind bars, and her hands restrained with handcuffs that were bladed on the inside. Everytime she moved her hand too much, the blades would dig into her wrists, eliciting a yelp.

She glanced around at her surroundings. There was no-one else but her. Even the cages next to hers were devoid of life. Her ears dropped as the solitude began to close in on her, then her stomach growled and she realised how painfully hungry she was. The half bear Toon drew her knees up to her chest and began to sob into them. She stopped and looked up when she heard someone approaching.

A Big Cheese in a suit identical to her own stopped outside her cell and returned her gaze.

"Hungry?" he asked softly, holding up a fruit pie.

She nodded.

He smiled and let himself in. He sat on the bed beside her, placing the cup of water he brought with him on the floor and spooned some pie before offering it to her.

Her face lit up at the flavour and she eagerly and gratefully accepted more. She licked her lips when the pie was all gone and looked at him expectantly.

Wilson Cheese blinked. "What?"

"I'm thirsty."

"Oh. Of course." He picked up the cup and held it for her, since her hands were restrained.

"What happens to me now?" she asked after she finished it off.

"I'm going to train you in the ways of the Bossbot, and then I shall explain your true purpose."

"Who are you?"

"I'm your father."

"And who am I?"

"Ursula Cheese, the first Hybrid of my attack force."

She did not know what an attack force was, but she liked the sound of it. She smiled, "When do I start?"