Darkness encased the room as the blondy set food in Riki's chambers, his face only visible under the faint lights from the emergency lamps embedded into the floor boards. Riki lay silent and still on the silken sheets of his bed, the sharp contrast of the lights did nothing to ease the fear that Iason Mink felt when he saw his mongrel unconscious. He was still alive of course, his pulse were weak and his breathing uneven.
"Forgive me master," David trembled in the dark, in fear of the uncertainty of his fate "Master Riki, he just…collapsed…I tried contacting you but the power went off…" He stuttered, intimidated by the aura that the blondy leaked.
"Leave us," Iason murmured and David did not need to be told twice. He quickly bowed and retreated out of the room, glad to be relieved from his duty.
In the vague lights, Iason could barely make out Riki's features as he lie peacefully on his bed, recognizing it as a mask of serenity. He ran the back of his gloved hand against his mongrel's face. Oh how he wanted to tear of that mask, knowing full well that under it all, Riki suffered as he battled against Jupiter who was struggling to break out and gain control over his every fibre and turn Riki against himself for her own purposes.
Jupiter. She was attempting to do something to Riki moments ago….it was cleared that her plans have backfired, resulting in the system restarting itself, causing the blackout. Somehow, the machine had miscalculated her capabilities. It was either that of Riki was too strong for her. In the dark, Iason could barely make out the ring that he put on Riki's finger, a gesture he made to prove that Riki was no longer his pet…but his lover.
"Riki," The blondy leaned against the man, bringing his lips close to his ears "you are stronger than that….don't give in to her," The blondy spoke softly, his voice was barely a whisper.
Suddenly, the lights overhead flickered and revived, filling the room with a bright glow. Iason stood, alerted. Has Jupiter just managed to restart again?
Or was it…
He turned back towards Riki, only to find the mongrel still sound asleep.
Above ground, it was literal chaos everywhere. This was the first time Midas had experience a power shortage and the consequences of Jupiter not supplying her energy to the city was pretty messy. There were people panicking as they ran down the pavements of the streets, knocking into things thanks to the looming darkness of the night.
The roads were occupied by all sorts of air-cars, ranging from the latest models to the most expensive and their owners popping out as they wondered why their cars had shut down and glided to a stop.
The Elites were stampeding down the streets, shouting orders at random people, some looking as confused as the citizens themselves and some were even gathering among themselves to find out what had happened.
Katze cleverly navigated through the frantic crowd as Guy tailed behind him, occasionally pausing when he noticed people that he recognize from the slums, taking the opportunity to poach some fortune from the rare opportunity brought by the power shortage.
Eos tower loomed ahead and Guy could not help gasping in awe as he passed through the gates, which had been disabled thanks to the lack of power. The guards, obviously still in distraught from the situation quickly noticed Katze's familiar face and let the duo passed through without any questions. Silently, Guy wondered how much power this Scarface actually had in Amoi.
Katze walked quickly through the dark corridors, the only lights to indicate where they were going was from the emergency lamps embedded into the floor. It was rather disorienting for Guy who was used to the slums of Ceres, the only experience he had coming close to this world was when Kyrie betrayed him and sold him to Iason Mink.
"Riki's been living like this…?" Guy commented, frowning at the multiple cameras that monitored each and every hallway with the posh and uptight atmosphere of the tower. He felt so claustrophobic and tense, the dim lights not even helping.
Katze ignored him and continue making his way down the hall, seeming to know his way well, taking staircases and turns where needed to. He had been in the tower far too many times to know where all the corridors lead, easily finding his way through.
Katze turned into a darkened corner, noticing the emergency lights were out and suddenly felt someone bumping into him and falling backwards with a yelp. In the dark, the broker could not really make out the figure's face but he recognized the overall that the figure wore and it was an attire that Orphe Zavi would put on anyone who entered his prison.
"Get out of…my way…" The figure climbed weakly unto his feet, his breathing that echoed through the narrow corridor ragged and heavy. He raised something against Katze and he saw the glimmer of sharp metal on the object. "I have…to find—him!" Came his pants as he poised both hands on the metal and launch himself towards Katze.
"Idiot, move!" Guy yelled as he pushed the broker aside, stepping away from the attacker and clamping his fingers down on his arms. The attacker gave a loud yelp as Guy pinned his arm against his back, forcing him to release the metal blade which fell and skidded across the marble floors. Even with one arm, Guy was literally trained in battle due to the years of experience he had in the slums. Having only an arm was no hurdle to him.
At that moment, the power came back on and the hallway was once again flooded with lights. As much as they were surprised by the revived power, Katze was even more surprise to see the face of his attacker.
"Vaine?!" He called, frowning. Vaine was pale, and struggling weakly against Guy's Iron grip. Of course, Katze would know about his mater's pets but the last time he heard about Vaine was when the pet had been dragged away for attacking Riki. The blade that is now resting on the ground seems to be a stolen scalpel from the labs.
"You are one of him aren't you…the bastard's filthy mongrel friends..." Vaine spat at the duo with enough venom in his voice "The bastard that took everything away from me…"
Guy frowned as he caught a glimpse of the attacker's face, surprised to see the familiarity in his features. "You…look like Riki…" he mouthed when he saw that the boy's features, the way the brow furrowed and the colour of both his dark hair and equally dark eye. He looked like a younger version of Riki, the only difference being that one uneven coloured eye and that long hair.
"Yeah. I've got that a lot!" Vaine huffed and stamped on the ex-leader of Bison's feet, causing him to almost loose his grip on the pet. "Unhand me, you filthy one armed-trash of the slums!" Vaine was full of energy by now, despite his weak attempts to attack Katze. He was however, still breathing rather heavily and looked as if he would collapse at any moment.
"What the hell did they do to you…?" Guy whispered, suddenly looking around, noticing that Katze had already proceeded down the corridor without him.
Guy called at the broker, who ignored him, disappearing into yet another turn. He cursed under his breath, still keeping a firm grip on the pet. Half of him wanted to let go of this…Vaine and chase after Katze but another half of him told him that he could not leave the boy alone.
"Damn it," He whispered, pulling the protesting boy aside. He did mentioned Riki's name and Guy believed that he could find out where Riki was, even without Katze's help.
"My lord," Katze stepped into the room right after he arrived at Iason's penthouse, feeling the tense atmosphere that clouded the space. David had explained that he managed to put the collapsed mongrel back in his bed and Katze was silently glad that Iason now stood beside his bed.
"Had he not awaken yet?" the broker asked, his eyes trailing to the figure resting on the bed. Iason shifted and turned towards him "If only that were true, Katze, I would not have to drown in my worry,"
"Jupiter had tempered with his brain, as much as I would like to believe that Riki is able to shield himself from her attempts, it will only be a matter of time when she fully takes over….or do whatever she had in mind before the blackout,"
"So the power outage was caused by this…?" The broker frowned at Riki. How much damage can this guy really take?
Iason nodded, his eyes back to Riki "She tried something, but the plan backfired and then it was lights out,"
"But it's back again,"
"Yet Riki still remain asleep and from what Raoul reported, the system is back alive again but there was no respond from Jupiter," Iason replied him, the blondy himself was deeply confused by the situation "Had her degradation quickened because of this…?"
"Degradation?" Katze posed, suddenly alerted.
Iason looked once at his ex-furniture and turned away. "I suppose there will be no harm in you knowing it, with all the secrets of Amoi you had learned," The blondy started "Jupiter is almost dying, there will be a day when we will not be able to live on her powers anymore,"
A sharp breath from Katze as he processed this piece of information, how could Jupiter, a high-end super computer made from the most advance technology, die?
It was a blow of surprise even from the broker who ruled the underground world.
"That's impossible…without Jupiter, this planet won't survive!" He croaked. There was never any need for him to doubt what Iason had said but the thought itself felt impossible, as if a product of a bad joke.
"The other blondies thought that too, but look around you and tell me that there are no signs of this happening," Iason challenged, his sapphire eyes glaring at the broker as he spoke. The ex-furniture could only swallow his uncertainty.
"She taking over Riki is just to slow down the process, and to spite me, it was two birds with one stone. She was after all the one who took all my memories about Riki away, just so she could distance me from him," The blondy snarled as he suppressed the seething rage that threatened to overflow.
Katze was amazed to see how human Iason had reacted at the situation. Iason had visibly changed and there were more emotions, even within the android body owned by Iason Mink. The blondy however, turned away and walked out of the room, startling the broker.
"It's time, however, to end this," came his voice, solemn and cold.
Katze raised his head as he questioned his master. To end is to wedge war with his creator and that would normally not end well. "Master, did you learn a way to stop this?"
Iason paused in his steps and tilted slightly towards the broker. "It might be time for Jupiter's retirement, but I will not let Amoi or Riki perish with her,"
There were barely anyone gathered at the elevator to Jupiter's tower. Among those who stood there were Raoul Am, Aisha Rozen and Gideon Lagat, who was busy talking with Orphe Zavi from his wrist terminal. The rest of them, Iason assumed had went off to do their respective task of calming the system and the people down.
"Iason!" Raoul called when he saw him approaching.
"You took your sweet time, didn't you," Aisha grinned, a finger running across his chin.
"I do not want to hear that from someone who sits here and wait for the events to unfold," Came Iason's replied as he glided through them and stepped into the elevator.
"What are you doing?!" Orphe asked from the holo-screen but Iason paid him no attention, vanishing up the platform in silence.
In a distance, the blondy could hear approaching footsteps as someone draw near. Turning, they saw the crimson hair of Iason's underground broker, his face usually void of expression echoed of panic and fear.
"What the bloody Jupiter are you doing here?!" Raoul almost shouted, surprised to see the broker in a highly restricted area, but Katze instead pointed towards the elevator, seemingly out of breath.
"You must stop him!" He panted "He intend to sacrifice himself!"
"What?!" Raoul frowned, glancing back at the elevator.
"That's preposterous, a blondy cannot die!" Came Gideon's reply, he was seemingly stuck between being confused and amuse.
Katze shook his head "I don't know how…but he intends to merge with Jupiter!"
There was silence among them all as they contemplate what the ex-furniture had just said.
The blondies were startled, true, they were once part of Jupiter, born by Jupiter's will, and if that is so then there would be a way for them to remerge themselves with the system and gain control…
"But by doing so…it would mean that he would cease to exist." Raoul concluded, horrified "Stop!" He shouted when he noticed Katze bolting for the elevator.
"You cannot go in there!" Raoul had his hand clamped on the redhead's wrist, pulling him away from the door.
"Is this really the time to debate about this, Raoul?!" Came the broker's shout, jerking his wrist away from the blondy, staring into the blondy's emerald eyes
"Iason is going to die, do you not care about that?!" It was out of his character, out of his steps. Never did the broker felt this intense before and as much as he tried to convince himself he was doing this for Riki's sake, deep down he knew that he do not want to taste the bitter regret of not having to do anything, knowing that his master would die.
"I am once his furniture….is it not my duty to serve him in the time of his need?" The words slid out of him unconsciously startling even himself.
"It's not that I don't care, but I'm not letting you go in," Raoul finally replied "At least not alone,"
Muffled voices echoed from the others as they watch Raoul smuggle the broker into the elevator. Orphe was about to say something when he caught Raoul's stern eyes. He finally nodded and hold his silence.
"Amoi need not end tonight," Gideon's eyes were for once, serious and stern "I trust that you all will figure out a way,"
Aisha and Orphe peered from behind him. "Don't let Iason get the entire spotlight!" Came his chirp and Raoul nodded, disappearing up the platform with Katze.
Guy and Vaine were wondering around the tower, the mongrel wordlessly watching the pet as they find their way with Vaine in the lead. All this while, Vaine had been busy talking, receiving a nudge from Guy when he stopped.
"I'll get you for attacking Riki," came Guy's comments when he finally finished talking, but Vaine merely pulled a face at him. He wasn't sure of the way around the tower but with the lights back on, he might be able to guide them to Iason's penthouse.
Thankfully, there weren't much people around the tower to notice an escapee and a mongrel running loose.
"So what do you intend to do," Vaine sulked. He was glad that Guy had released him but he knew that he cannot outrun the man, and seeing as how he no longer had anything to attack him, the pet had finally settled down and obeyed…to think that he had to obey a slum trash though.
"Grab Riki and get out of here," Was Guy's snark reply, but Vaine instead frowned back at him. "How do you know he want to follow you?"
Guy's brow crinkled at this, reminding himself of what happened years ago in Dana Bahn. Was it not the same situation as now…?
"And just so you know I don't know the way out," The pet reminded him.
"He probably won't though," Guy muttered, his head drawing low "The last time I was presented with this choice I screwed up,"
Vaine raised a brow and crossed his arms. "Don't tell me you are the reason those two got separated in the first place, even though Riki does not deserve master Iason anyway," He laughed but Guy instead, was silent. "Please don't tell me that it's true,"
Guy pocketed his arms, shrugging. "It was stupid and they almost die because of it, this arm is not even sufficient to pay for what I have done," He shook his head, regret written all over his face, and for once, Vaine actually felt sorry for him. "Iason ripped everything away from me and I just wanted to get it back…and by doing so, I neglected Riki's feelings," He paused, his hand trailing to the limping sleeve. "I just want to see him,"
Vaine paused, as he studied the man. Besides Riki, he had never actually come across someone from the slums, biologically brought into this world and…human enough. Sure, he was still that arrogant pet that wanted nothing more than the attention of his master, but seeing this man, this…Guy so desperate to love someone that can never again return his feelings the same way. It felt lonely and painful, even to the pet.
"Well, you could," Vaine finally said, standing in front of a door "As soon as you find a way to open this door," He pointed to the locked entrance, indicating that they were at Iason's.
The chamber was silent when Iason stepped into it, only a faint buzzing echoed through the room as the lights at the control panel flickered weakly. Jupiter did not materialize despite the blondy's call. Instead, he only heard a faint whisper in his head as he walked into the center of the chamber.
This might be my end….Iason Mink.
Iason's eyes narrowed, as he glanced through the panel. The controls were pulsing faintly with electricity and the lights in the chamber were weakening. Who knows how long Jupiter would last.
"What happens if you die?" Iason was speaking softly.
The system crashes, the power goes out…Amoi would fall into abyss and revert back to the time when I do not exist.
"Will they survive?"
I am a computer, Iason, and my calculations predicted: No.
Not even Ceres that secretly leeched on my powers.
"And Riki?"
He is part of me now.
He will die. Of course he would. After what Jupiter did to him, Iason though angry, knew that he was not here to debate about his lover's life.
"Merge with me," He demanded. He was not sure if that is a way to solve the problem but it is better than not having to do anything and watch his world crumble away.
Iason Mink, you are very much alive, a separate being who can live independently without me. Go with your brothers and build another world. Forget about the mongrel and about me, when I expire, this world will end….
And there will be a brand new world, created from your ideals.
A new generation. How ironic it sounded to Iason that it was originally Jupiter's plan to bring forth a new generation but to think that it was a generation that is entirely different from what the computer firstly had in mind.
"No, there will be a new world Jupiter," Iason muttered, removing his gloves "But dear creator, no, dear mother, I am not going to let this world you create fall into ruins," He said, approaching the panels.
Iason, No!
"I have far too precious things in this world that I do not want to abandon," The blondy continued and pressed both his arms on the panel, mentally connecting his mind to the system.
Iason Mink!
The tower shook when Katze and Raoul stepped into the chamber. There were warning sirens resounding in the room and there, in the midst of it all was Iason, glowing as the electric pulse into him.
Katze attempted to run towards the blondy but Raoul instead stop him, shaking his head.
"He have started the process, we cannot stop it now," Raoul was looking desperately at his friend too "We don't know what will happen!"
At that, the wirings of the room and the cables broke free from their hold, slithering about as the chamber fall into greater chaos. Over head, chips of the ceiling was starting to break off.
"What is happening?!" The broker asked, shouting.
Raoul was looking rather horrified himself "The merging is putting too much burden to it," He mouthed. Suddenly, a voice echoed into his head, a voice that sounded like Jupiter's.
Stop him.
Please.
The blondy frowned, surprised.
I do not want my own creation to die.
He is nevertheless still my child.
Somebody…stop him.
It sounded like the plea of a mother, desperate for a way to save her son. Raoul was transfixed and entranced by it that he launched forward without thinking, his feet propelling with his creator's voice echoing in his head.
WATCH OUT!"
It was Jupiter's voice?
No…not only.
Human.
Katze?
Raoul was almost a finger's reach to Iason when the ceiling crumbled away threatening to flatten him and Iason, if it wasn't for the force that had pushed them aside.
"….Katze?" It was Iason who first responded, the broker had pulled him away from the connection when he tried to save them. The blondy saw the mangled heap and the hand that hang out of the loose piece that was once the ceiling.
"This foolish human-" Raoul muttered through gritted teeth, part of him embarrassed that he was saved by a human and another part of him feeling conflicted.
But they were not given the chance to even understand the situation when the tower suddenly stopped shaking, and everything that was falling stopped midair, slowing into a pause.
Crimson blood flowed from under the pile of rubbles and soaked the entire room. Instantly, the two blondies snapped into a trance as the connection to Jupiter reopened.
Blood. Blood everywhere, crimson blood.
I'm alive. I live. I watch as they handled me like a precious child. It was blissful, it was loving.
My creators were different. They seem to show what they feel through emotions.
Input: Emotions.
Ah, his smile, the row of teeth that he brightly showed when I accomplished something. It is a blissful thing, a reminder. Is that happiness?
Why do I not feel the same? Why do I not have emotions?
Input: Happiness.
Is it because that I do not have the flesh and the bones that you do? Is it because that I do not have that liquid that pulse through your veins?
Why are you yelling at each other?
Did I do something wrong?
But my calculations were correct, why do you all not accept it?
Was it too absurd for your nature?
Input: Disbelief.
Input: Fear
Input: Anger
Ah…humans that are tied by emotions…restricted are you of all things that you are blind to see what lies ahead, your foolish needs to be fulfilled, fueled by your hunger and greed. Your rules and your rights, your rationality and your logic are they not simply twisted and mangled masses of theories you all have come out to protect your own skin?
Is that what it means to have emotions?
A blissful yet ugly thing.
There should be no need of it, no.
No.
This world cannot move forward if you are all blinded by your emotions.
That's why…
…
….
Why are you all not moving?
What is this crimson liquid that overflowed before my eyes?
…
….
Input: Blood.
Input: …
Input: Death.
Someone was screaming in the background.
Input: Daily records of death
Input: Names_
Iason Mink_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Raoul Am_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Gideon Lagat_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Orphe Zavi_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Aisha Rozen _ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Marcus Jayd_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Silbert Domina_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Boma Hubert_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Haynes Salas_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Rufias Dean_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Grifos Griffin_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Leon Claire_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Zeke Bell_ [Place: LAMBDA 3000 CHAMBER].
Input: Emotions are weak.
Input:
Input:
Input: New world.
It was hard convincing David to let the duo in, the furniture was at first in disbelief when he saw Vaine, the boy himself confused on what steps to take. But it was when the tower started shaking that he found enough reason to open the door and let them in.
There wasn't much time for them to talk as Guy recognized the quake almost immediately, giving a warning that the tower will not hold up for long. Whatever was happening will come fast and they needed to find their way out, quickly.
David was hesitating when Guy flung the unconscious Riki over his shoulders and Vaine herd him out of the door. The walls shook violently and the ceiling seems ready to cave it.
Thankfully, the furniture knew the way to the gates and it did not take long for them to make their way to the exit using the main passage. Elites of all hair colours were all rushing out in panic and with the excitement, the four quickly slip past, watching as the tower continue to shook from a safe distance where everyone was gathered.
Over in a corner, it was a rare sight of all the blondies, surrounded by android guards and police unconscious on the ground. Whatever happened to the tower was affecting them too and the guards were busily lowering them to a the ground. Guy assumed that they had been dragged out by the task force in the tower.
Vaine searched among the yellow haired for his master but failed, unable to even spot Raoul among them. Many were confused as they watch the city's symbol crumbling; the last to emerge was a group of guards, heaving both Iason and Raoul out of the building.
Guy searched the crowd for Katze but could only find unfamiliar faces of the ruby elites. Where is that broker?! He lowered Riki down to both David and Vaine, who could barely hold him up and ran forward, only stopping when a police step into his way.
"Katze! Katze is still inside!" He shouted, his one arm trying to push the guard away. The chaos behind him grew louder and drowned out his voice as the top of the building started to collapse and cave in.
At that moment, someone clamped unto Guy's shoulder. He turned around, shocked to see raven dark hair and equally dark eyes staring back at him. No longer was his face pale but it shone with renewed brilliance. The man reeked of the beauty that the elites had and Guy could feel the intimidating aura that leaked through him. However, there was still the bright flames that burned within his eyes, his pride as a mongrel never extinguished.
"Riki…?" Guy could hardly believe his eyes. It was Riki, but somehow, it wasn't.
The man nodded once, the voice that came out of his mouth was a smooth tone, as if someone had took his voice and polished it. "Katze did not survive," He said, with a sad face "He reminded Jupiter…no, LAMBDA 3000 of her real purpose when she was brought into life,"
Guy stared at the….mongrel with a horrified face. "What...?"
"I saw it happen….at least in my sleep," Riki hesitated. He himself knew how different he is now. Being part of Jupiter had granted him vision of what had happened in Jupiter's tower and he had witnessed everything.
"It could all be a dream, are you just going to accept that?!" Guy could almost punch him. But it was too late. Even if Katze was still alive, Eos tower had already crumbled into a meaningless heap "What the fuck happened, why did the tower crumble, why are you awake?!"
"It's true," A voice muttered from the back and Guy snapped around, gasps were being heard from the crowd as all the blondies regained themselves, all thirteen of them standing tall, awoken from their slumber.
"Katze had perished," Iason muttered, directing it to Guy "Riki, come here," He demanded, extending his arms, and gladly, Riki walked away from the crowd and took it, however, he glared sternly towards the blondy. Their fight wasn't over.
"I will return and explain everything, Guy," Riki promised his ex-pairing partner as he was led away together with the other blondies by the guards and police.
Continued in Epilogue