An act of God. 3
Alright, guys, can you guess who Vanamali is?
In the Neo-Arcadian Hare Krishna temple, the Gaura-Arati was going on beautifully. Over 48 devotees, humans, reploids and Elvin chanted and danced for the pleasure of Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai, Radha-Govinda and Patita-Pavana Jagannath, standing all alone on his altar, beatific smile destroying the darkness of ignorance in all He saw.
Such a sweet guy.
Kiba Jaya, Jaya Gaurachander, Arotike soba
Jhanavi tatta-vane, Jaga-mana Lobha
The congregation chanted as they danced with swaying steps. Back and front, back and front. Following the sweet beat of the karatalaand the Mrdanga.
Mother Varoru stood in the back, despite her bad knees. Her palms were folded as she sang the Glories of Gauranga, praying for his mercy.
Not not for her, since Varoru Devi dasi had already received Nityananda's glance of mercy the day her Guru gave her her new name. But for her Ciel and her followers.
Sure, the Lord had promised Varoru that he would bring Ciel back to Neo-Arcadia, but the old woman was a greedy bitch and wanted more.
She wanted her niece to not only return to Neo-Arcadia safe and sound but also to return home, back to Godhead in this lifetime, and all of her friends too.
Hell, Varoru wanted everyone to return to Gods' divine lotus feet, to once again live eternally with the supreme master and the Lover of All.
And thus, Varoru prayed... she prayed to Gauranga and Nityananda, the most merciful, to Srila Prabhupada, the divine commander in chief of Their numerous Bhaktas and her own Guru-Maharaja.
Sure, her prayer may be right-side-up, but it's how it manifested from her heart of heart.
"Varoru?" A deep, scraggly voice asked its owner, the oldest Brahmachari of the Ashram.
" Yes, Vandanam Prabhu, what may I do for you?" The old woman asked the ancient Reploid in saffron. He could have taken to the renounced order of life or become an initiating Guru; the retired hunter had elected to remain a Brahmachari. A servant of the servants.
How old was he? Rumours were that he was one of the first hunters serving under Sigma... before he turned, that is. This particular reploid's face was extremely generic, with his dim green eyes and reddish-brown hair, now but a small, ratty patch at the back of his head. It was clear his face had been blown up once and had been hastily put back together.
For those who first walked into the temple's door, the sight of Vandanam Prabhu was all they needed to turn away from God once more.
But, at the same time. His smile and kind demeanour were not lost to those the Lord truly wanted to see. And the old reploid absolutely adored children, calling them the bright future.
But now, this kind of demeanour was hidden behind a closed-off face of a man who survived all the reploid war with most parts missing.
"The resistance has surrendered. And they are bringing Ciel and her family in." He rasped, his lips tight. "Want me to bust her out?"
Varoru almost gave her elder everything the Go ahead when... she felt the lord in her heart shook his head.
"No, It's fine, Vandanam. The last thing I want is for Neo-Arcadia to burn our temple and desecrate out Radha-Govinda." She spoke as she exited the temple room. This was an important topic, to be sure, and she didn't want to disturb the Lord as he prepared to lay to 'rest' for the night.
The old Brahmachari grunted, it was clear he wasn't a fan of not doing anything, but at the same time, if he's bothered asking Varoru, it meant that he didn't really think about storming the place.
How kind of him.
"So... what's the plan?" Vandanam asked, crossing his arms over his chest. " If we let Ciel to them, We don't need to ask Krishna what will happen to her."
"I know." Ciel's body was valuable, but unfortunately, not the person inside the body.
"But, at the same time. If we get involved, then the temple's history and we all get reprogrammed." Vandanam said with a deep frown etched on his grizzled face.
A shudder shook Varoru's petite frame. Being reprogrammed was not only a risk for reploids but humans also..., and torture never ended well in Neo-Arcadia.
The elder folded her palms. "We... We wait... what else can we do, Vandanam?"
"Pray for a miracle."
"Indeed."
On the Neo-Arcadian lading strip, Fefnir could see a small crowd; there were reporters behind security lines, medial staff (As if those would come to help. They were just here for some decorations, nothing more.) and, obliviously, more armed personnel than what was strictly necessary.
He sighed... they didn't need that much protection and military personnel. Neo-Arcadia was meant to be a harbour of peace, not a military compound. Nothing would dare attack the place, and nothing was close enough even to threaten them. And yet, the military budget kept increasing, and the forces were filled with more and more pantheons, more then what was strictly necessary.
But what really bothered Fefnir was how the human part of the equation was slowly but surely removed. Right now, most of the military, save for those with administrative positions, were robotic.
And their ranks kept growing.
The fire general let out a huff. Things would change, they always did.
Suddenly a familiar figure caught his eyes, six and a half feet tall, blue, gold, and already sending him plenty of messages about how he missed him and how he had made their little burrow even cozier, just the way his girl like. And how he was ready for three more and how maybe they could keep them.
The dragon-like general could not help but feel his lips stretched in a smile. He loved his sweet Khak with all of his nonexistent heart.
He'd never tough the Animaloid was such a gentleman; he knew how to treat his troop right, was friendly to all, and most impotently, He'd let Fefnir be himself at home, not passing a disparaging comment, not trying to change him back to what society taught wa. Right.
And the Necromancer also had interesting friends and abilities.
Fefnir chanced a glance at the black duffle bag... yes, his Khak was amazing, His friends had opened Fefnir's eyes, and he was worth all of the fire platoon.
Yes, it was an amazing trade-off. And now... he had the material needed for another project of theirs.
"Fefnir?" X spoke up. Breaking the dragon-like general out of his thoughts. "Where in Neo-arcadian air space, aren't we?"
The general ripped his eyes away from the sight of his bag filled with sugar, spices and everything nice, and back to X, still sitting in the V of Zero's lap. The poor blond hung limply from his bonds, his whole weight shouldered by X. As his dull hair pooled around them, his head gem flashing dangerously. Black matter and red oil staining blue armour... not that blue seemed to mind.
It hit differently then all those previous times he had fought the red and gold reploid.
It felt wrong to see Zero like this... so weak and vulnerable.
'Is this why Har' didn't kill Zero when he had the chance?' The fire general pondered... deliberately making Master X wait.
... not because Fefnir wanted to mess with his Master. ( Oh, he knew this had to be the real deal. Anubis knew X from a long time back and thus had made sure his spouse knew the true Hero of the maverick wars.) But because he had a hunch that X already knew... and Neo-Arcadia knew too if the happy electrical waves were anything to go by.
"Ah! Of course, of course. Phantom, I've forgotten how it felt to have my dear Neo-Neo greet me." The crazy reploid beamed at a dark corner of the room. Still holding the disturbingly limp Zero head on his stained shoulder. " I can't wait to meet them again."
"Yeah..." Fefnir muttered. "Hey, is Zero alright?" He asked. "He looks a bit...dead, you know."
Master looked at the fire guardien through the door and back at Zero, gently jostling his head. "He's just a dead tired. I mean, who wouldn't be after the miracles her performed, you know?"
"Miracles?" Fefnir muttered under his breath. Sure, Master X was a bit loopy after his rescue and whatever happened after that, but his mind was still sharp.
Master X 'tasked as he rolled his eyes at someone at the other side of the holding cell. "Elipzo, are you daft? Now all elves are freed! Oh, this means I get to see her again." He beamed as he absentmindedly freed the obliviously crashed Zero from his electronic binds. After shifting his position, he dropped the blond's head in whatever was left of his laps, gently playing with his hair and humming a jaunty little song about robots... with a heavy German accent, for some obscure reason.
For his part, Fefnir just closed the Video-Feed. He would let X do whatever he wanted, same as Zero. God knew they had been screwed over so many times over, so he'd let them... do whatever old and clearly broken down, sacred relic of a glorious age gone by would do when left at their own devices.
Fefnir knew they only had thirty minutes of grace before hell would start over again.
And he couldn't wait to get out of his Armour and Fefnir.
Back on the ground, at the designated area where the press members would congregate and wait for the victorious reploid to walk out with their... prisoners.
'Yeah... more slaves and parts for the big Pantheon machine. Yay.' Neige snarked in the confine on her mind. 'Ugh, who's gonna stop the massacre? Who will end the madness... even heard that they'd caught Zero.'
If this was the case, then all hopes were lost for Neo-Arcadia and the suppressed ones.
Neige held her tabled as she began to type, she knew what she was supposed to write. She had to make those genocidal bastards appear heroic while throwing dirt at the true heroes.
It made her sick, and Neige could not remember the last time she had slept peacefully without the heavy guilt choking her up in the middle of the night.
Numerous shuttles came into view, all of them filled with innocent reploid who had tried and failed to stop the madness.
All entered the Eden dome, and Neige felt a tear drop from her eyes...
there were more shuttle coming in then when they had left. And some of those had clearly been re-appropriated by the Neo-Arcadian forces.
She forced herself to be silent and not to burst into tears. Maybe the resistance had escaped, maybe this was the only thing they had managed to gather and, who knows. Maybe Zero had destroyed another guardien, hopefully, Harpuia, and his wounds had been too great. Leading to his arrest.
Maybe the Counter-strike would get in contact with Zero... would he make it to the holding facility, tough?
'Of course, Harpuia won't let him die so quickly. It's Zero, and Harpuia always likes to collect shiny things... and good fighters.' Like her Fiance.
'Craft... were are you? Did they reprogrammed you? Are you still my big, lovable Oaf of a hero? Or are you...' Neige bit the inside of her lips. She had to focus, she was at the last stage of the journalism course, and she had to give them a big scoop!
... a Big scoop everyone would write about, something that was nothing but Neo-Arcadian Propaganda at its finest. Meaning, Neige had to write something that was the same as everybody else and... ugh... Pro- Neo-Arcadian enough for her to pass her test.
'I have no chance.' Sure, she could keep writing for the underground group, but the moment she was caught doing that, let alone publishing something when the council did not approve her, meant that she would be turned into another breeding stock.
She shudders at the thought. Neo-Arcadia may be hailed as the true utopia. Still, just like in the novel, a minority had to live off a poor sod, either master X, the reploids in General or those who didn't fit in this artificial paradise.
Suddenly, she felt a distortion, Neige barely had the time the catch the last ripples that made the Eden dome shimmer, and for a moment, all of her fear left her.
Back at the temple, Vandanam das sat up straighter, convincingly; the recording of Srila Prabhupada told someone to sit Properly, once again showing that the Lord indeed had a wicked sense of humour.
'A wicked sense of humour... Krishna, this felt like X when he was alive. Like... when Neo-Arcadia would greet him.' He shook his head. X was long gone, and Vandanam had no idea what he felt for his old ex-colleague anymore. ' I'd rather he stay dead. If he were to know I managed to hide under the radar as a Hare Krishna...' And then he paused. And a smirk lit up on his scarred lips.
He turned to his tiny Gaura-Nitai. "Alright, you have a plan... you don't need to tell me, just make sure I can serve you better in my next life."
Their Lordship's smile grew softer. "Oh, Vandanam, you don't have to be so dramatic," Gauranga spoke with a slight grin, showing off his perfect, pearl-shaming teeth.
On his right, Nityananda scoffed. "'Don't be dramatic? Who are you, and what have you done to my little Bother?"
" I am Him, and I am not overly dramatic!" Gauranga playfully crossed his arms in Mock anger. "But you, Nitai, are completely off your rocker, an absolute mad man who cares for no cast, no creed and no designation or qualification. You, dear Mad man, give the rare gift of Krishna-Prema to the undeserving."
"I do! I do!" Nitai Laughed like a child as he swayed on his feet. " And my Master's even madder then me~."
Vandanam quietly chuckled at the divine banter, resuming his Meditation. Knowing that no matter what happened, Gauranga and Nityananda would always protect him in all respect.
Back on the Neo-Arcadian military landing strip, the anticipation was thing enough to cut with a chainsaw.
Neige took a deep breath in and released it, history was about to be made, and she would be forced to write it for the winners.
The shuttles aligned and descended to the specialized landing pad; the personnel away from the engines do not make yet another scene. Once, the red-head would mind illegally filming and send them out to her flocks in the underground. The flash and frantic talk sound were almost loud enough to drown out the reactors, but not Neige's beating heart.
She poised her pen (she was old school, and writing on paper meant that destroying evidence would be as easy as dropping it in a fountain or burning it.) and began to take notes.
The number of shuttles, their formations, who was it, yadda yadda etc.
Then, the last one landed, and the atmosphere became electrified.
It was as if a super-powerful elf had made her appearance.
The Aircraft landed in perfect sequence, the last one in which Harpuia had dedicated to Phantom (how... sweet of him.), touched the ground with but a few vibrations, indicating the skill of the pilot... just another AI programmed to fly perfectly.
More flashed, more hushed muttering, and finally, Harpuia emerged from his shuttle and walked to the floating Camera bots, his generic mug broadcast to all, his head held high, and his gaze bellows his nose.
He had such an ugly sneer... filled with pride and self-importance. He looked like a dog, proud of having destroyed his owner's couch and leaving crap in the middle of the room.
No... Dogs may be little shits, but not at the same level as Harpuia; the harpy was in a class of his own.
"Citizen of Neo-Arcadia, rejoice!"
'Oh, great... bet he caught miss Cossack and our last hope.
"It is with unending pleasure that I have the honour to inform you all of the dismantlement of the resistance, and their leader, Ciel Cossack." Harpuia's smile was gut-churning.
"fuck." Neige breathed out, she hated being right.
In the background, the prisoners of war were unloaded from the shuttles. All looked terrified, but some still held their head high despite their position. Neige could hear the venomous whisper and the loud jeers of the crowd.
"She, like all members of the resistance, will meet with due punishment," Harpuia continued, unheeding of what was happening behind him. "Of course, if they are willing to cooperate with Neo-Arcadia and help us solve the energy crisis, their sentence may get lightened."
Neige robotically wrote down whatever Harpuia said; know what he meant by those words.
The reploids would be suppressed, their voice and free will removed and turned into pleasure dolls to over-glorified Roombas while others...
They would be lucky to be turned into Pantheons. Whatever other options they had would make them all wish Harpuia's retirement plants were still operational.
Harpuia kept talking, and Neige felt sick. She wanted the guy to glitch, to crash... to just drop dead as he choked on a shit fly.
He kept reading Ciel's sins, it was not new; those allegations were all over her wanted poster, making the cute in-vitro baby appear more unhinged then she had the right to.
But Harpuia didn't stop... he kept going. "And unfortunately for her, she performed enact so vile... so blasphemous, that I dare not speak of it." he closed his eyes as he lowered his head. "But.. for the sake of free information, it is my duty to divulge it."
' the right of privacy means nothing to you, tin toy?' Neige hissed in her mind. This was ridiculous, a feast for the vultures... and Ciel's character assassination.
"Miss Cossack... desecrated Master X's holy sepulchre and used his sacred remains to..." Harpuia flinched, and Neige could easily see how the reaction was genuine.
"She... reused the sacred body, inserting in his frame a... an AI meant to 'subdue' Zero with his form."
Neige's eyes grew wide at the implication, and she opened her mouth... only to let out a strangled noise.
No... no, this couldn't be... Ciel would never do such a thing. But it also meant that a good number of people lost their bets.
"This... Dummy is everything our dearly departed Master was not. And, unfortunately, Zero has become smitten with it. But this was not the end of it..."
"As I have come to know, it seems many of our denizens are rooting for the red ripper and are praying for him to take X's place at the top of the sacred Hierashi." Neige could see exactly how Harpuia felt about that.
He did not want, plain and simple.
Once again, the green reploid closed his eyes as he managed to convey regret. "Unfortunately, Megaman Zero had contracted an unknown virus. And... I fear there is nothing we can do to salvage him."
Harpuia didn't have to fake it... he really did regret it.
And Neige... realized that the resistance were truly dead... they had lost. The dream was over...
Zero...
Zero was...
Their only hope was as good as dead...
She fell to her knees. not caring if her true colours were shown.
They had lost... yes, Neige could still fight, but it was the same fight a fish gave as it slowly but surely suffocated on the butcher's block. Its death throes only adding to their killer's pleasure.
"And there it is... you have the right to censor the sight, for I assure- what! No... what Going-" The sound of static covered Harpuia's voice... and the Eden dome blinked.
"Now what?" Neige wondered as the cyber-structure ebbed and flowed with joyful colours. And gentle music played a triumphant tune in welcome.
The cameras came back one, but this time instead of showing Harpuia's scowl, it showed... what seemed to be master X with a pair of hastily made arms waving at the camera, Dread filled Neige's heart, the Memory of the red-eyed X still too fresh in her mind eye.
Two years was not enough to erase the horrors caused by a dictator.
And... when the apparition opened his eyes. A pair of emeralds looked back, bright, lively, and with a mischievous spark peered back.
He didn't have any legs but, Neige knew where those sacred artifacts were.
Then beside Master X, light congeal and took the form of a looming figure. They had no leg but a cream cylinder with a red triangle painted at the top; their upper body was not connected to his lower. Same as their oversized arms. They had shoulder-length hair to the colour of light purple, and a cyber-halo glowed above their heads. Streams of Data kept flowing to it.
On the uber-powerful elf... if this even was a elf, folded its oversized palms and bowed deeply to the so-called Dummy. "Master X, it is good to see you up and running again." They spoke; their voice is endogenous and soothing.
Neige took out her pad and began to write down all that was happening furiously. She knew this figure, she knew who it was despite how most of the class-mate and teachers blew it off as a legend and old myth perpetrated by the old generation of synth to give them hope in a dark time.
This was Neo-arcadia, the city's hyper-advanced AI, X's last creation.
Behind and around Neige, the other bought reporters were whispering and fretting over their appearance. Plenty of them calling foul.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" Harpuia roared as he shoved his way to Master X, only to have the Pantheon turn on him. "Unhand me, AIs. I am your head commander and the head of Neo-Arcadia. My words are your orders!"
"Incorrect." What could only be the personification of the last haven on earth spoke as they turned to face Harpuia., looking down at him as they had done to all of their victims. The sneer on their angelic face, poetic justice. "You have been demoted the moment Master Zero siphoned the Dark elf out of Mega Man X's system. You, Harpuia, have been acting outside of your jurisdiction with the arrest of Master X and Master Zero's entourage."
"But... But That thing is not Master X!" The green general sputtered in outrage as Leviathan was similarly arrested. This time, by Cyber-elves.
It seemed that they had gotten the drop her, and now, the fearsome icy witch could not move, her whole body frozen.
Once again, the poetry of it all was oh so sweet.
And despite the Chaos of what was unmistakable, the world's greatest coup. (they had pantheons... the pantheons were helping them. And for some reason, none of the guardian's generals and commanders were doing anything.
A glance told Neige why. They had been ambushed by, you guessed it, Cyber-elves.
Fully grown Cyber-elves. And none of them seemed to be flagging either.
Then a hush fell on the assembly as X was wheeled closer to the microphone and camera.
He looked... He looked even more, advance then the previous times they had seen his copy. There was a mischievous spark in his bright green eyes and his smile...
This was the smile the ancient picture were known for... this was X's seldom seen smile, the smile of a conqueror, one who had faced death numerous time and won.
"Citizen of Neo-Arcadia... I have returned." X began... Master X began.
All around her, all that Neige could hear was the sound of jubilation. When it calmed down after five minutes, X resumed his speech.
"I will keep it brief, for it is clear that Zero and I are not in the best of shape. Oh, do not worry, it's not life-threatening, only uncomfortable." X kept speaking, his warm green eyes and soothing voice quieting all despite its soft nature.
It was so different from the other one... the one with the red eyes.
"Now, as a confirmation of my identity, I ask Neo-Arcadia to scan me completely; if I am not a hundred percent who I claim to be, then let Neo-Arcadia themselves destroy me."
"Yes, my master" The violet apparition spoke up as a light grid shone on X. Neige knew it was just a light show, for the whole process was without much bells and whistle.
It was for the press and the poor mortal.
Neo-Arcadia opened their eyes, and a bright smile lit up their features further. And thus spoke the words that changed everything.
" I, Neo-Arcadia, your last daughter and mother of all of those who live within my walls, can and will heartily vouch for you. You are Master X, the last creation of Doctor light. Your frame is well over two hundred years of age, and yet you remain the ever updated." Neo-arcadia declared loudly and proudly, sending out the confirmation data to all of the press and those who held an official position.
A notification popped up in Neige's corneal implement... it was the official prof of Master X's identity.
Neo-arcadia kept speaking. " Oh, Father, after the last buffoon that tried to usurp the throne, turning my southern quadrennial as an Auschwitz for the reploid kind. To have you here is a balm on my wounded heart."
Master X' lost its smile at those words. His lips were pressed tightly as sorrow and rage warred on his countenance. But he was not surprised. " I see... I'm sorry I could not do more from cyberspace." He addressed Neo-Arcadia. Then he returned his glance at the viewers. And in the span of a second, the eternally youthful master seemed to have aged over a hundred years.
"I... am aware of what happened to the reploid population and to those who helped them. While my body was resting at the top of the tower, holding the dark elf back from yet another rampage... I was still there, and I saw everything." he revealed to the many gasps of the citizens.
"Obliviously... I have much to explain. But know this, oh citizen; I had failed you when I left to seal the dark elf, a suicide hidden in the act of bravery... and I left without entrusting Neo-Arcadia to Capable hands." Master X revealed, his head lowering.
At the bottom of the screen... no, in Neige's Corneal implant, a Neo-Arcadia's cutout appeared, and beside it, some extra information and their opinion about how Master X was too hard on himself. He had a chosen heir, a human by the name of Francine, and more names came until the last one.
The Neo-Arcadia's cutout face fell. 'And this person wanted to be bigger then the previous rulers, and thus, promised to bring master X back. But since no one had the sheer genius my grandfather had, this... so-called ruler had the university of north-Eden look into genetic engineering. Around a thousand fertilized ovum later, one child made it to them. Her name was Ciel Cossack, in honour of the Russian roboticist and friend of the Light family. And then Ciel, after having no childhood to speak off, made a copy of master X, since the originals' location got lost over the centuries."
"Oh..." Neige murmured.
"He and the dark elf were at the top of my tower... I don't need to tell you the damage she would have rained upon us when Master X's body would eventually fail." Neo started with a wince and a huff. "That... or the exiled one would return and somehow collect the dark elf and Omega... not that this can happen anymore."
Neige stared at the screen, she had the distinct feeling that Neo-Arcadia was truly talking to her.
"And by the look of your face, you realize that I am talking to you, miss Neige Lalinde... and before you panic, know that as the city you were born in, I was watching over you since the moment you were born... and throughout your childhood and saw your amazing educational marks. Truly, you are gifted with the art of poetry and reporting."
The redhead had not idea how to react to that. She felt so exposed at the moment.
"And, of course, your blog and underground journalism truly have impressed me."
Neige cursed in the confine of her mind as she silently freaked out over the fact that the city was a freaking stalker. And she knew about her side hustle. The girl looked around to see that all other reporters were looking at the screen and listening to X's every word as the returned Master of Neo-Arcadia informed them that Zero had purified mother elf but got severely damaged and drained in the process and would need medical attention as soon as possible.
"Yes... Master Zero once again pulled off the impossible. But now that the corruption has been lifted from mother elf and that master X has been freed from his duty as the seal. All elves and myself are now released from the numerous curses of Weil and can now finally fix what the copy has broken... like giving you the interview of the century, Neige Lalinde."
This snapped the young reporter out of her panic. "wha..."
"You see, out of all the reporters present, only you are sincere and trustworthy." Neo-Arcadia offered the girl a bow. " I will send you the necessary contact information and will update your security to the same as X and Zero. For you will be our envoy and messenger to the mass. I cannot wait to start working with you, Neige; I'll contact you soon."
And with that, Neo-Arcadia disappeared from Neige's eye implant... just in time to hear Master X's final statement.
"... I will not be available for any interview... and neither will Ciel or the member of the resistance as we recover from our ordeal. Neo-Arcadia has already chosen an envoy, and through them, we will inform you of all that will happen. Until then, all reploids and Cyber-elves are now back at being on par with humans, right-wise. And any act of violence against them will be considered the same as for a humans. Reploids, please don't take this as an opportunity to go out and kill whoever abused you, save if you have the video proof of violence, slavery, prostitution and other criminal acts. No consequences will be on your head. And don't forget that the memory cloud is still available and that whatever reploid is found dead will trigger a formal investigation on this matter. Now... I believe I have spoken enough. I will update you on our current situation in a few days. All glories to Light." and after those words, Master X, the real Master X, disappeared from the screen...
And all hell gloriously broke lose.
Back at the temple, Varoru and quite a few cried tears of joy and relief.
Krishna, their dearest Radha-Govinda, had pulled a Miracle again, and this miracle was not just for his dear devotee to enjoy, it was for all.
The reploid Population were now freed from slavery, and Ciel was back... the Lord saved the last of Varoru's family.
Only because Ciel shared the same blood with the body, the old Vaishnavi currently inhabited.
"It's a miracle... I miracle, I say." Varoru whispered as she kneeled in front of the Lord of her life and his eternal mistress. " You... Oh my Lord, Chaitania, you said in the Chaitania-Bhagavata that you consider the family and friends of you devotees yours also... even the cats and dogs." Tears fell unabashed from her ringed eyes, addressing Sri-Chaitania, who is Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna.
Laughter bubbled from the deepest part of he heard. "Oh, my Lord... you've saved them. You've saved them all. You even brought Master X back to Zero and us."She remembered the stories her mother would tell her about the aloof reploids—mostly sad ones.
She could only pray... only pray for this to get better for them. Varoru knew that their suffering was due to their previous karma, like everyone. But still, the old woman could not help but want them to stop suffering.
"Oh my Lord, you have saved their body, and hopefully their mind... but when will you save them, huh? Will you make them wait another lifetime? Or will you finally give them the chance to end this terrible cycle of birth and death?" She scolded, his spiritual purity giving her this ability.
"I know that it was by your will that the impossible happened and that living entities became bound to robots. And it was by your will also that the numerous wars ripped apart the old society... everything was by your will... and the healing will be by your will also."
"For you, there is no good and bad, just actions and the reactions' of your actions, for you are aloof. You see the spirit soul suffer and enjoy the result of his karma. But you simply watch...
"For you, a war, pestilence, and other calamities are but waves of souls going from one body the next and a way to clear up the demoniac population. And lightening mother earth load.
"It's terrifying to the materialist, who are like rats in a cat's mouth. But for us... death and time are like loving mother gators holding us in her jaws. We have nothing to fear..." Varoru closed her eyes, and her features steeled.
"But... you have to admit, Krishna, that you've acted like a rascal." She huffed. " In you're divine form of Gauranga, you held no weapon but your ever-expanding beauty. And when you left, you took your mercy and your beauty with you and let Nara-Hari rip through those 'demons' marked for salvation like a lion in a chicken coop."
Varoru got up, knowing that with the news and the wonderful 'freedom' the reploid population now had. She was practically the only one left in the temple room. Meaning, she was free to scold the lord as she wanted...
Lovingly scolding the lord. Otherwise, Sri-Radha and Lalita would not let her hear the end of it.
"But... knowing your mood and your vow, Krishna. It's not at all surprising." Varoru spoke with folded arms. "paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge." She quoted from the Bhagavad-Gita. " 'To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, you advent Myself millennium after millennium.' And you did, Shyam. But remember that in this yuga, all of us are more demons then humans. The religion of this most fallen age is the ecstatic chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra... something that requires no high birth, no special qualifications, no fancy deity, not even a puer heart... and you kept hidden from us, you thief."
The elder turned her attention to the two dancing lords, One pale gold, the other reddish. Their arms were upraised in jubilation and surrender.
Not many knew this, but while Sri-Krishna demanded to be completely surrendered to him to attain the supreme bliss, Gauranga surrendered to his devotee and gave them bliss anyway.
As for Nitai, the eternal drunkard would force-feed the highest bliss to the most fallen if they had a tiniest of faith in him or their Guru.
Varoru felt joy fill her heart, a bliss that came from the spiritual world. She once again folded her palm and prayed to the two most merciful brothers. Krishna and Balaram returned to salvage the most wretched and fallen.
Like herself.
"Oh Mahaprabhu, Oh Nitiananda Prabhu. Oh, Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all the Vaishnava devotees whose hearts are firmly based in Vraja..." She raised her hands to heaven. " I am your's, my lord in this lifetime and all that will come after. Use me, make me the object of your Mercy on everyone. Make me dance as you have made Srila-Prabhupada and all your exalted servent dance." She prayed.
On the richly decorated altar, the garlands and flowers on their supreme lordship's neck and turban fell to the ground.
A bright smile light Varoru's thin lips. She could feel it, she could feel the bliss and approval of the Lord like the divine song it was.
And then...
She developed this intense urge to go to the military hospital to visit her Ciel, it had been years since she saw her sister's beautiful daughter.
The Military hospital/ repair center was truly something to Behold. The wall's mere made with a specialized self-sanitizing panel, same at the supper smooth floor. The personal tough...
It was all Pantheons, and all of them would take the time to bow to master X, sending their pledge of loyalty to the returned leader as he rolled by, being pushed to his personal ward by yet another one eyes monstrosity... a reploid stripped of any distinguishing features.
They never failed to give Elpis the creeps, and being in cyberspace did nothing to improve it... it made it infinitely worst.
"Hey, Elpis... is everything fine?" Phantom asked his unlikely friend as they walked by Zero's specialized Gurney meant for a viral treat.
Those would usually be sent to the incinerator without a second thought, even if the user was alive.
Thankfully, this protocol was rightfully deleted...
"Let me guess..."
"Yes, I remember all the horror and tragedy that had befallen our kind." Elpis readily admitted. "Would it not be for master X? I dare say that the situation would be even direr then now."
"... if you say so," Phantom mumbled as his eyes drifted to Zero.
Elpizo followed his gaze and wince. When it came to regurgitation, he was a squeamish man, and what he saw had so many layers of disturbing.
Once again, a reploid never had a gag reflex. They would only consume energene and e-crystals.
And Zero... He had...
His face was stained with the curse his body had purged. He was in recovery mode, and yet his right hand was still on his lower abdominal area.
Elipzo was sure he would purge again... there was no way it was over.
" You know... I can't feel the curse of Weil in him anymore." Phantom spoke up as he gently patted Elips's back. A tentative smile dared to stretch his lips. " Mother elf is still there, though."
"Yes... It seems she found a perfect hiding spot." The blond and pink elf spoke as he held his elbows. Between looking away from the sick Zero and warily looking at him in morbid curiosity. "I... I can't believe I... I almost destroy Master X's body. I... Oh Phantom, I can't bear to imagine the Chaos that would have caused."
"But, what if you would have been successful?" The dark assassin asked as he hovered near master X, his old friend.
Oh, the rightful ruler of Neo-Arcadia may be back in his old frame, but it didn;t mean that he had stopped being a cyber-elf altogether. No, instead... he was mixed.
He was an elf in a body, meaning that he had the unlimited possibility and could use his power nearly unlimitedly.
It was... frightening, to say the least.
And yet... Elipzo could not help but stick around this ancient being and his lover.
He returned to the question at hand. "Easy, pure and utter chaos," Elpizo spoke flippantly. " Listen, Phantom, I have studied those elves until I turned mad, and mother elf, the Alpha of all cyber-being, has powers beyond our comprehension... and is easily subdued."
Phantom's unsee eyebrows rose. "Oh? Please, do tell me more."
A smile shared to touch Elpizo's lips. "You see, Mother elf was programmed to be subservient to both human and Master X. Master X did indeed have full control over her, but any human command would override whatever X's told her."
"Oh, that's... this is a recipe for disaster." Phantom deadpanned. "Doctor Weil must have used it to kidnapped her... and the curse-"
"Was just him making another being life miserable just for shits and giggles." Elpizo finished with a flip of his hair. " if he were to learn that the dark elf is no more and that Mother Elf is not in the seal but Zero's body..."
"No one should say a word about this." Phantom hissed. "We've had enough of this menace... shame X had to listen to those buffons and not rip Weil's head off of his neck."
"Oh, Actually, I was thinking of giving him a plasma enema, but obliviously, no one wanted that." X suddenly spoke from his wheelchair. All the personnel around him looked at the blue bomber in different levels of disturbed. " I mean, really, the guy looked constipated even when he smiles..."
Elpizo and Phantomstared at whom the media and the Neo-arcadian government had described as he great warrior with a bleeding heart, a Martire who could not even utter a curse without stuttering. A strong but pure boy...
Well, here goes that particular image.
X turned to his two ghostly friends. " But hey, those wimpy politicians didn't want little old me to finish the job... you know, in a way, I feel close to Alain, both of us are stuck in a machine that won't let us die, and we were forced to... no, wait. That's just me." He shrugged. "Oh well, I'll make sure he won't be needing his torture suit next time I see him. I wonder what would happen if I opened his suit... he's kind of like in a fishbowl... what do you think, Phantom?" He asked the Cyber-elf.
Phantom stared, not knowing what to say... what was the question again?
"X, if I may," Elipzo interjected. " I say that you need to get your original hardware, sir." He spoke respectfully. Despite how X seemed to disliked whatever deference the pink rep... cyber-elf showed him... as showed with his pout. " I'm certain Weil will not live long with you being at your full capacity... and he would live even less long would the ever so glorious Zero be fully functional too." Elipzo waved at the still unconscious Zero.
Was he still dribbling this noxious substance? No... no, it was just the stain and a window glare.
"Wow, Elpis, that sure is a lot of bootlicking." X answers instead, completely serious and solemn.
Phantom, knowing that he didn;t have an image to keep, burst out laughing.
"But yeah, Once Zero's better... Imma makes sure he won't have to fight anymore. Did you know that he sealed himself twice because he had enough of fighting? I mean... I get him; I totally get him. But the second time... This time didn't make sense to me, I mean, Zero's just one guy, and as amazing as he is, I doubt his mere presence made the war happen. For all I know... it just made my situation worst..."
A heavy silence fell on the group.
X sighed. " One often meets his destiny on the road he had taken to avoid it." He quoted. " I still don't know what would've happened if Zero would not have returned to his damn tomb; I just know the centuries that came after." X suddenly clapped his hands together, and his sullen expression was replaced with a smile. "Welp, that's over. I'm back; Zero's back were all alive... Neh, Zero. You good?" X suddenly turned to the supine Zero... who gave a weak thumbs-up, struggling to open his eyes.
"Yep, were all good!"
Both Phantom and Elpizo were doubtful, but the most they could do from Cyber-space was to spy and pray master X's madness would either mellow out...
Actually, him mellowing out was the only option they really had.
Elpizo returned his wary gaze at Zero, who had once again closed his eyes, his exhaustion clear on his face. Mother elf was in his lower abdominal partition and...
'No, wait...It doesn't feel like her... not completely. ' The Blond wondered as he stared. ' Hey... Is Zero...' His eyes grew wider as he noticed a detail that had seemingly escaped everybody else purview.
'Zero's waist is... it has expanded a bit.' on on such a thin built, it was a wonder nobody else noticed it. Elpizo could not unsee it now. 'Perhaps... it is due to housing mother elf, she is quite the bulky program... still.'
"Say... phantom?"
"Yes, Elpis?"
" don't you think that Zero looks as if he's... pregnant?" Elipzo asked as he stared at Zero's mildly distended belly.
It was so oblivious... especially for someone built as efficiently as Zero.
Phantom leaned over the medical casket and took a good look... his brows bunching up together.
"What in the world?!"