A/N: Here it is. The last chapter. Oh stop crying. No really. Stop. I'll be back! Ok, now you're just making me feel bad too! Oh, now come the tears. Stop it! You'll make me short circuit the keyboard!

Nah, I'm kidding. If you do feel that way about my writing, though, that means that you think my stories are worth reading and that makes meglad.

5 Loosing, Yet Gaining

Otto and his appendages gathered the rest of the necessary equipment. Otto hadn't said anything for a few days. He only looked over what his tentacles were doing and when they looked at him, he lowered his head. He had given up. He didn't think it possible, but he had. The struggle was now over. Those titanium demons had stolen his life.

He didn't notice the deep gashes in his side, shoulder, and now palm as intense anymore. From the look of the raw, deep and bloody cuts - that should have been stitched up - they hadn't healed. Otto never thought they had gotten better, stronger things just pained him more. Pain is always masked by a greater form of suffering. That said it all.

They had moved into yet another pier to house the fusion reactor. Otto didn't help, he didn't resist, he didn't really do anything but watch and wait. So came time again, everything was in place; everything that is, except the tritium.

Where is it?

What happened to it?

Did you loose it?

Of course Otto lost it.

Go get it.

Otto walked over to the crates where they kept all of their equipment. He began rummaging through the packing fluff. "It's not here," he said.

Why?

Why isn't it here?

"I dunno," Otto murmured. "It's probably back at the apartment."

Well, then we shall head over there.

We aren't far from it.

"Sure, whatever," Otto inched his way through the doors that had warped a little due to weather.

As he walked through the streets, he began to ask himself questions. What is wrong with doing this? You're not really assisting them, are you? You're just saving yourself from torture.

Of course, you're not fighting them. And you should be. You should be standing up for what's right. You've done it before...

This is wrong...you know it's wrong. Why are you going through with this?

Before he knew it, they reached his apartment. He was about to say something to them but couldn't. The thought of being punished again cut him like they had. And they had already sliced every part of him that wouldn't "hurt" technically. But what if they decided to snap one of his arms or legs like a twig? Or what if they pulled it out of socket? There were a million ways they could torture him without killing him. They had been going easy on him. Just giving him a taste of what they had in store if he ever decided to become wise to them again.

The bottom left one searched the room with a white light. It spotted what they needed and grabbed it.

We have everything we need now. The bottom left one handed it up to the top left one. The top left appendage looked at it and fidgeted a little uncertainly but then reluctantly grabbed the ball of tritium.

It didn't seem anymore excited about going through with the plan than he was. Yet, it didn't stand up. It didn't stop or challenge them. On the other hand, neither had he, so he knew he shouldn't complain.

The walk back seemed a whole lot longer than the one going to the apartment. The top left appendage silently glanced over at Otto who was looking towards the ground in shame. It knew that their host was beating himself up for what they were doing. But it couldn't fight them; it was only one against three. The only 'normal' one if you could call it that. Two of them had support and strength and the other one had brains. The top left one was only there to balance it all out. It didn't have anything that made it special, especially nothing that could overcome the other three, even if it wanted to. It looked away almost with a sigh. How helpless it felt at that moment.

They arrived back and Otto had been thinking. He quickly brewed up an excuse to get down.

"I haven't eaten anything today, if you've noticed," he stated. "I'd like to use my meal time now."

His appendages set him down a little happier that he was going along with their will. Otto though, had other plans. He casually walked over to a small table that held bolts, other screws, and his cell phone. He eyed it; if he was going to die, he was going to do something right. Otto picked up the phone and began dialing.

Who are you calling? The appendages asked a little suspiciously.

"I am calling the president to tell about the marvelous thing we're doing for the world," he quickly explained as he held the phone to his ear. Thank goodness his tentacles didn't know about seats of power – although they had seemingly taken one – otherwise they would have known that a commoner, especially not some mad scientist, can just call up the president of the United States to chat.

The phone rang several times. Come on, pick up… Otto thought anxiously. Finally someone appeared on the other line.

"Hello?" a college student asked in a fairly happy tone.

Oh thank God, Otto sighed to himself. "Hello, isthispeter?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Isthispeter?"

"Yes."

"OK," Otto was glad to see that Peter had gotten the message and even more to see that his tentacles appeared oblivious.

"I'm a little over my head and I need your help," Otto mumbled softly into the phone. "Could you please come as soon as possible? I'm positioned in a pier right across from the one that got destroyed a couple weeks ago. Please hurry," Otto pleaded.

"OK, I'll be right there. But first, who are you?"

Why does everyone want to know my identity over the phone? He asked himself. "You'll know at first glance. Please hurry."

"I'll be there before you can say: 'what's taking so long?'" Peter assured him as Otto hung up.

Otto rested his eyes and breathed slowly, but nervously. He could feel his appendages' anger and wrath building in his mind. He was really in for it now.

What have you done! They shrieked. You're leading him right to us!

You stupid little human!

Why can't you do anything right!

If you had just left it alone, we would have succeeded!

And we still will. The bottom left appendage grabbed Otto's arm and thrust him to the ground. Otto breathed heavily through the pain they were causing him.

The bottom right one held the phone as the top right one scanned Otto's memory for the number. It found it and dialed Peter's apartment again. Peter picked it up.

"Hello?"

Cancel your plea.

"No."

Now! The appendage pressed his arm down further into his back increasing the pain several levels.

"Hel-lo?" Peter asked confused by the metallic chirps and painful breathing on the other line.

"It's me again," Otto said as he swallowed.

"Oh hey, I was just coming over to-"

"I don't need your help anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't need your help anymore," Otto repeated shakily. "I've found a solution. You don't have to come."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure," Otto interrupted. "Stay home and continued whatever you were doing."

"But-"

"Pretend I never called."

"But I-"

"Pretend I never called," Otto commanded firmly. "Good day," he hung up and the grip on his arm loosened.

Otto stood up and massaged his shoulder. The appendages' wrath was still burning into his mind like a flame in a dry log.

It seems you have forgotten who is in charge here. The top right one said menacingly.

The two bottom ones snapped into defensive positions as Otto glanced them over as his heart beat faster.

We will clear that up right now. A blade stuck out from its center again. It was apparent that they had more in store for him than just another cut.

The top left one shrunk away nervously pacing back and forth a little. Father deserves it. Father did not obey. But father is a human and often over reacts or disobeys easily.

It glanced down and saw Otto anxiously wringing his hands as sweat ran down his brow.

His top right appendage whipped out and left a deep slice in Otto's forearm. Otto crouched over and groped his arm. He struggled his hardest not to cry. The pain was almost too intense to handle.

But Father is hurting…

You're a man of science, you like math? The top right one asked.

…and Father is part of family…

Then take that wound and multiply it by about fifty to one hundred.

…and families protect each other. They don't let each other get hurt.

And you will come up with your punishment. The top right appendage sent the blade for Otto. The top left one grabbed its arm at the speed of light.

You will not hurt Father!

The top right appendage struggled free and hung across from its revolting neighbor. I warned you about meddling in our affairs and taking his side…

The top left appendage didn't seem to care and lunged for the top right one again. The top right appendage dodged and the bottom right met it with a blow to the sensors. The top left one didn't care about that either. It launched out a steel rope that wrapped around the top right one's segments. It pulled the appendage in and upper-cutted it. That one left a mark. The top left appendage then grabbed the top right one and began yanking. The bottom right one stuck a blade out, as it pulled back ready to strike.

The tentacle stabbed for it and cut a few wires causing the top left one to emit an ear-piercing screech that would make anyone present regret ever having the ability to hear. Then the top right appendage mercilessly grabbed the neck of it and threw it to the ground. The force knocked Otto down also.

He fell onto his wounded arm and let out a cry of pain. They ignored him and picked him up again as they continued fighting. The top left one attacked the top right one again and banged it against a wall, then a beam. It let out an irritated screech. The bottom right one surprised the top left when it embraced it and slammed it on a beam that had broken creating a sharp metal point, which stabbed through the center of the arm.

After a few seconds it slowly pulled away from the sharp point and hung in the air once again. It wasn't going to give up. The top left appendage grabbed the top right and forced it on a sharp point on the corner of the ceiling. It held it there to make sure of its wounds. The top left's plan would have worked if it hadn't forgotten about the other two.

The bottom left appendage grabbed the top left and threw it off. It pulled the leader off of the stake and they all three stood across form the top left. They were now angrier than ever.

The top left one hesitated only a second or two and glanced down at the electric cords. Of course! The top left shot for them but the bottom left grabbed it away just as the top left had hold of it.

You will not electrocute us with this. It commented as it held the bundle of wires in the air.

It didn't realize, however, that the top right appendage had stuck a blade out and was right behind it. It waved the wires a little to make a point and accidentally stuck them on the blade.

Jolts of electricity surged through every limb of Otto's body. The top right appendage withdrew the blade; unfortunately, after its parts were damaged. Otto passed out on the ground.

Otto awoke and it had gotten darker. The sun was just beginning to set. He slowly stood up. Well, here we go again. He told himself with a sigh.

His tentacles slowly took their places in the air and looked down at him.

Father, are you all right?

What? What did they say? Otto turned and found that he couldn't tell which one was saying what.

The top right one looked at Otto's shoulder.

Father is injured!

"Of course I'm injured. You did it to me."

The top right one glanced over at the top left's torn segments.

We are injured!

We must find repairs.

Father will repair us.

Why were they all calling him 'Father' now?

Come down and turn over, would you?

Surprisingly, the top right obeyed without comment. It turned over to reveal the small burnt remains of a microchip and wires. It looked insignificant, but was the best thing Otto had seen in months.

The independence chip is burnt out! That's why they're taking to me again. I'm their primary life source all of a sudden. They now don't have any opposing thought about it.

Could we go and get repairs?

Please Father!

We feel weak…and we hurt!

Otto smiled to himself. He was their leader again. He knew that they'd take over sometimes – he was even wondering if they had taking his mind over at that moment to make him feel so content. But after last week or so, this was heaven.

"Sure, that would be fine. But first," Otto said with a smirk. "We're eating out."

THE END

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