Chapter Thirty-Two
Lilly had gone out to survey the area that morning, leaving Akki and Miecha in Gamma's care. They were both highly curious four year olds, especially Akki. She was so much like her mother, except she never grew bored, at all. A week had passed by, and Gamma was still sorting through X's programming. Right now, she was looking over X's blueprints, and with those, she was designed a new set on a separate, split screen. She'd be able to fetch new wiring and armor from the coast, and she could salvage everything else. Lilly had told her of a doctor that lived in Lilly's home town. Dr. Lan was his name, and he worked constantly trying to improve on reploid technology. The doctor was fascinated by reploid mechanics, and he was very intrigued when Lilly had given him the opportunity to help progress his studies.
Gamma was planning on making her own trip to the coast. She would need Lan's help. She also figured that he would need hers too. For now though, she would continue to work on the new set of blueprints that were still in the making, and she hoped that for now, that would be for now. Akki peered over Gamma's shoulder, staring at the giant, green translucent screen. "Oooh! Are you going to make that?!" Her soft eyes widened, squeaking with delight at the future looking computer. Gamma turned her eyes to the same girl, and couldn't help but smile. She ignored the sudden energy drop in her systems. She also ignored the dizziness that sparked in her brain, that caused her eyesight to turn to static. "Yes. This is going to be X's new body." She answered the young girl, who seemed very much enthralled in Gamma's work. Gamma was happy for the childrens' company. They took her mind of her slowly dying systems. In truth, she could only hope that she'd be able to finish her most precious work of all. It would be Gamma's most important work.
Miecha slowly crept over to Gamma's side, holding up his arms. He slowly stood on his tiptoes, whimpering. "Please?" He asked, begging to be picked up and held for awhile. Gamma had become attached to the two children, and smiled, slowly wrapping her hands under the boys arms. She easily picked him up, as if he weighed little more than a feather. Very carefully, she set the young boy in her lap. He blinked after a moment, and slowly looked up at her, laying his head on her vest. "Thank you, Aunty Gamma!" He grinned, slowly blinking at the screen. He had a tiny question forming in the back of his head, and he finally spoke it. "How come X needs a new body?" He slowly bent his head backwards to look up at Gamma, his big eyes curious.
That was a good question that could easily be answered. For a moment, Gamma concentrated on what she should say. She couldn't go into a lot of detail with the children, sadly enough. They were both so carefree, and to know of the dangers that resided in the world would hurt them both. After a few moments, she spoke. "Because, little one, he is badly damaged. It's like getting a bad scrape on your leg. I can't fix him, so I'm doing the next best thing." She smiled lightly, hoping that her words would sooth the boy's curious needs for answers. Gamma slowly placed a hand on the boys head, ruffling his hair fondly.
Akki crawled up into Gamma's lap next, sitting beside her brother. Neither of them were very heavy, so she did not have any objections to it. The little girl frowned, "He'll be okay, right? I mean….he'll remember what he used to?" A worried look came onto her face, but was swiftly relieved when Gamma nodded. "That's right. He'll be the same old loveable reploid. Your mom has told you a lot." She chuckled. Akki grinned and that, squirming lightly. "Heeey! Can we help?!" She smiled. "Mommy has a lot of old fabric in the car!" The thought of that gave the two children new excitement. Gamma carefully nodded, "Alright, how about you two make him something. He'll appreciate that." She patted both of their heads, watching as they hopped down and darted, squealing and jumping with excitement.
Miecha stopped after a moment, and looked back at Gamma. He blinked, then smiled. "Aunty Gamma…? Can we be here when X wakes up? Please?" He frowned, darting back over to her. He carefully tugged on her hand, pulling on the black metal appendages that were he fingers. Gamma stared at the little boy. They were both so curious. Neither of them had even seen a reploid before. Most of them had been destroyed. The majority resided in the ruins of Abel city, and they were all mavericks. It was sad really. Miecha noticed the small frown that creased on her face, and whimpered, "You're the first reploid we've seen…besides the ones sleeping in Dr. Lan's home…but we've only caught glimpses of them. Please…?" He begged again.
How could Gamma say no to him? She had an exceptionally soft spot for children, especially young ones. She slowly knelt down to Miecha's level, and slowly wrapped her arms around him in a gentle hug. "I'm sure he'd like that Miecha. Your mother will probably like that too. Now, run along with your sister alright?" She patted his head one more time, then shooed him off, watching as he darted after his sister, a purely innocent smile on the boy's face. Even Gamma could not resist the charm that Lilly had passed on to them. Humans were such interesting creatures. It was amazing.
Those children needed someone to look up to, and she hoped that X could be that person. They could be there for him too. They'd be there for each other. Lilly had done a very good job in raising those two children. Something also told Gamma that they wouldn't go too far, once everything fell into place, she hoped so at least. She was happy for their company. They cleared her thoughts from her ever fading mainframe.
Gamma sighed, looking back up at the blueprints she was so carefully making. She'd let the children add something special to his new body, and she hoped deep down, that it would help take some of the strain away from her and her dear friend, X.