Chapter Fourteen. Yea, I know it's been more than a week since I last updated but I did have this one ready. it was just finding the time to update it.
Along the way, I've made a few changes to my plans. There will be one more chapter of A Lost Memory then I'm moving on. Also, the story I gave you a taste of has been renamed Can Anybody Hear Me and will be a Cyberchase x A-Team cross-over. Keep an eye out for in the coming weeks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Cyberchase. Max is mine. Echo is Kawaii Stella's
Chapter Fourteen
Erasmus' Request
Ada Mae and Mathias were very happy that Max was back with her status as Fo-dan T'sai and shape-shifter. Echo's health was also a big relief to them after she fainted in the waiting room. Things were beginning to look up.
The couple embraced the two girls, warmly. Today had been quite the eventful day and now they seemed to be glowing. Especially Max who was now being shadowed by a large Warrior who kept rubbing her back and arms. Max smiled at his touch.
"Max, who is this?" Ada Mae asked.
"Mom, Dad, guys, this is Garrett." Max said. She wanted to hold his hand but wasn't sure how to go about it.
"Who is he?" Mathias asked.
"He's Mattimeo's batch-brother." Max began.
"His what?" Digit asked.
"His batch-brother." Max repeated. "See, every once in a while, a Warrior is created in the mountain region known as the Bellowing Hills. Every so often in that every once in a while, two or more Warriors come out of the hill. These Warriors are known as batch-brothers because they were made at the same time."
"And Mattimeo was your . . . ?" Jackie said.
"T'hail'la." Max answered. "Boyfriend, good friend, husband, mate. All him what you will. According to Shangrinese tradition, if a Warrior dies before a job can be completed, his batch-brother takes over the job. That's what Garrett is doing. At Mattimeo's request."
"That is so sweet!" Inez squealed excitedly.
Jackie joined hands with her and both stared up at Garrett. The big, tough Warrior blushed deeply as he pulled Max into his armored side.
"You two make a precious couple." Echo said.
Max reached around and patted his knuckles, just visible over his gauntlets. "Thank you."
"Hey Max, do you know what day it is?" Mathias asked, grinning.
Max frowned. "Yes, I know exactly what day it is."
Jackie looked between father and daughter. "It's January the fifth." she said.
"Yeah." Inez agreed. "Is that date significant?"
Mathias nodded and his smile widened and Max's frown deepened into a rough scowl; her eyes narrowing to slits.
"Don't say it, Dad." she warned.
"Well -" Mathias said, his arms raising at his sides and his voice taking on a musical lilt.
"Don't do it, Dad!" Max growled.
"Well -" Mathias began again.
"I'm warning you!" Max bellowed, pointing a finger at him.
"Okay, okay." Mathias said, dropping his arms.
Max settled in close to Garrett's side. "I'm getting pretty sick of you singing the ha-" she began.
"Well, happy birthday to you! Happy birth-" Mathias said.
Max pounced, a hand clamped hard over his mouth as she knocked him to the ground. "I said don't do it!" she growled.
"Is today your birthday?" Echo asked.
Max glared, taking her hand off her father's mouth when she was sure he wasn't going to sing anymore. "It's my start-up day, yes. And everyday since my kidnapping and after my multiple surgeries, Dad felt he had to sing the birthday song at me."
"You mean 'to you'." Mathias corrected.
"I don't differentiate." Max said.
"It's the birthday song, of course everyone's going to use it when they learn it's your birthday." Digit pointed out.
"Digit, even you should understand how much I hate it." Max said.
Mathias opened his mouth again to start the song and max pointed a finger into his face. "You so much as start that song again and I'm demoting you from father to creator."
Mathias frowned. "Don't be like that, Max. I'm your father and I'm trying to make up for lost years between us. I want to be a part of your life, even if that means celebrating your birthday by singing a song."
"Dad, just don't." Max said. "Wish me a happy birthday, give me a present or a cake or whatever it is you want to do on my birthday, but don't sing at me."
Mathias reached up and brushed Max's cheek with his fingertips. "Okay, sweetheart." he said. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks . . . creator."
"Creator?" Matt said. "I thought you weren't going to call him that unless he continued with the song."
"I was trying it out for size." Max said, rising and helping Mathias to his feet.
"And?" Mathias asked.
"It doesn't fit."
With that, Max was sandwiched between her parents. Just then, Erasmus appeared right beside them as a cluster of Warriors stepped in trying to congratulate Max.
"Walk with me, Echo." the master said, patting the human girl's shoulder.
Without hesitation, the Scottish sorceress followed the mysterious leader of Shangri-La away from the crowd. They stood on the bridge and looked down at the pretty waters beneath them.
"There's something I must tell you." Erasmus said.
"O-kay?" Echo said, uncertain.
"It's about Max's new form. Well, I suppose it's not necessarily new."
"O-kay?" Echo repeated.
"Gargoyles possess an instinct that runs far deeper than your average fight-or-flight. It is because of this instinct that has made them the most feared of all creatures in Cyberspace. We have come to call it 'the self-preservation instinct' and it is only awakened when the gargoyle suddenly feels threatened." Erasmus said.
"You mean like what happened between Max and Ledge when Dr. Marbles was killed?" Echo asked.
"Exactly like that." Erasmus said. "Now that Max has rebecome a shape-shifter, you must keep a look out for this instinct. Max cannot control it. It is one of the few things in the gargoyle psyche even they cannot control."
"What'll I do?"
It was an obvious question, unless Erasmus only wanted to warn Echo since she had become extremely close to her cyborg friend.
"That biggest thing you don't want to do is feel fear." Erasmus said. "They can sense it and, not only do they feed of it, they also feel the need to continue to destroy. If there is a need for fear, then there must be a source."
"Makes sense."
"It is one of the reasons why many cyborgs are now dead. We have instigated battles with them and fell into fear."
"Okay, what's the next thing?"
"Show her you mean no harm. She seems to respect you. Understand you. Only in that way will you be able to banish the instinct from her mind."
"And if I can't?"
Erasmus looked grave. "Then . . . you must kill her."
Echo stood there, momentarily shocked. Then the words came to her. "Kill her!?"
"We cannot allow a rogue gargoyle to roam free. These creatures are dangerous. A single one can decimate an entire cybersite because it can."
"Do you even realize how impossible what you're asking for is? Rogue or not, Max is my soul-sister, my best friend. I could never kill her. Not even at my angriest." Echo protested.
"In that state, your status will mean nothing to her. She will not hesitate to kill you. And everyone else. Are you prepared to take responsibility for the lives she takes because you hesitated in killing her when you had the chance?"
"While it may mean nothing to her, it still means something to me. I won't kill my best friend. I put down my sword a long time ago."
"I understand this hurts. I also understand you're scared and confused. Max means the world to you, I get that. But she would thank you for this." Erasmus said. "I'm not asking you to do this because I hate her and I want her to die. I'm asking because I know I can trust you to make this as painless as possible for her. I know I can trust you to kill her quickly."
Echo clenched her fists, unsure of what to do.
"Please. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure it would be necessary. A shot to the heart would be enough. That's all we ask."
"Fine. I'll do it. But if I have to kill her, I'm going right after her. I won't live with that guilt." Echo said, firmly.
Erasmus looked deep into Echo's eyes and saw that she meant every word of it. He could also tell that she was waiting for him to change his mind. He wasn't. He couldn't. Besides, there was no way for them to control the state. Or was there?
He grimaced, realizing Echo had currently put him at an impasse. He understood her response well enough, though, and bowed. "As you wish." he said. From inside the wide sleeve of his robe, Erasmus withdrew a long, single-edged dagger in a scabbard. "You'll need this to do it."
Echo took it and unsheathed the dagger to see it. It was a well-crafted weapon. Plain, unmarked blade with a keen edge. The hilt was long and black bound. The pommel was mounted with the silver miniature of a gargoyle's head.
"What is this?" she asked.
"We call it the gar-ghoul blade."
She weighed it in her hand. "Why do I have to kill her with this?"
"Because that weapon was made for a specific purpose."
"To kill gargoyles?"
Erasmus nodded and Echo shivered.
"All my Warriors carries one. All of them except Max as her knives can do the trick just as well. However, nobody but one of my Warriors carries daggers such as these." he said, giving her a meaningful look.
"Wait a minute. Are you implying . . . ?" Echo asked, astonished.
"I'm asking that you join my Warriors."
"But, I already belong to a team. I can't leave my comrades behind."
"You will have the same rank as Max."
Echo looked torn.
"I see Max did not explain what goes on with being a Shield-Maiden." Echo shook her head. Erasmus was quick to explain. "You won't be forced to leave behind everything you have. Your current and future connections are yours to keep. You are free to stay with friends but you still have a place here. Also, the site is open to you for sanctuary, treatment, and whatever you choose. There is only one thing I need from you in return."
"What would that be?"
"That you return whenever I call you."
Echo nodded and Erasmus smiled.
"Very well. Take the dagger with you. There's only the matter of your sashing. As you've seen, there is a ceremony to 'sash' the new elites. This means that in order for it to become official, you must have a ceremony to receive your sash. It can be public – in few of all your fellow Warriors – or it can be private – surrounded only by close loved ones. Which do you prefer?"
"Can my parents come to the ceremony?" Echo wanted to know.
"Of course. In fact, you can even choose to be 'given' to our order by them." Erasmus assured her. "That can happen in either you choose. Now, which will it be?"
"Private." Echo said, right away.
"Private it is." Erasmus said. "Yours will take place in a couple more days. Prepare yourself for that, Fo-dan T'sai."
Echo smiled, enjoying the new title bestowed upon her. She bowed and left the master alone on the bridge to contemplate what he had just asked her to do.
1
Upon Echo's return to the crowd, she noticed that the Warriors were still hunkered around Max. Many were still bestowing praises and blessings upon their young commander and Max's face was blushing fiercely at each one. All of them, except for five, large, were smiling energetically. In fact, two of the largest ones seemed to be glowering at Max in what could only be described as a look of disdain.
Echo squeezed herself into the crowd and grabbed Max's hand. Max didn't look at her as her attention was currently centered on a borg who was using sign language to speak to her. Max's eyes watched his hands as he slowly moved from one sign to the next. Once he was done, the Warrior patted her arm and Max smiled.
"Thank you, Percival." she said, patting his armored elbow.
Since Percival seemed to be the last of the Warriors left to give the blessing, they all dispersed. Even the five left until there was only the Cybersquad, Marbleses, and Echo left. Max turned to the Cybersquad.
"Thanks for coming, you guys. It isn't very often outsiders get to see a ceremony like that conducted." she said.
"We're just glad that you're back." Inez said.
"Does this mean we can come back into Cyberspace, now?" Jackie asked Mathias.
"YES!" the Cybersquad cheered.
"Bada bing bada boom!" Digit cried.
Ada Mae wrapped her daughter up in her arms. "It's good to have you back, sweetheart." she said.
"Yeah." Mathias said, patting Max's head.
"Well, guys, I think it's time we went home." Matt said.
The girls nodded in agreement and a portal opened. One that would take them home. No sooner had they stepped through than it closed behind them. The last thing they saw was their friends waving good-bye.
"So, what now?" Mathias asked.
Echo took Max's hand. "I want to take you to meet my family." she told her soul-sister.
Max smiled. "I'd like that." she said. She looked at her father as though seeking permission.
Both Ada Mae and Mathias looked at each other. The telegraphy was almost tangible. Then, they looked at Max.
"Of course." Ada Mae said.
"Just don't stay for too long." Mathias told her.
"I won't." Max said.
"We won't." Echo assured them.
As a portal opened to take them home, Max suddenly saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw Erasmus motioning to her.
"You guys go ahead. I'll be right back." she said, leaving their company to join her master. "Yes, Master?"
"I have a mission for you to perform, Max." Erasmus said, handing her a large, Shangrinese bag. "The old warehouse on the Northern Frontier must be destroyed now that it is no longer in use. You know of the one I speak."
Max wordlessly nodded. "The hangar where Hacker tortured me."
Erasmus nodded. "Yes. The hangar. Consider this my birthday gift to you."
Max understood. He was giving her the chance to destroy the place her nightmares began. Wordlessly, she took the bag and left for the Northern Frontier.