3-12: Recovery
Twilight was standing next to XL who was laying on a table with the new parts for him at the foot of the table. "You're lucky I agreed to this…" Twilight sighs putting gloves on.
"Oh come on Twi, is it really that bad?" XL asks. "Besides if you don't Rage will." He says looking over to Rage who was standing in the corner of the room.
He looks up at XL "No, I wouldn't" Rage says "At least if I did you wouldn't like it. Besides you should count yourself lucky…"
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Xl shouts.
"You're lucky to even be alive." Rage replies "Remember what I told you, I don't fuse very often because people have died when fusing with a Chaos user who has even less power than I do. You losing some robotic body parts? You're lucky. We can replace them, a life even I cannot replace. Besides I am only here in case Twilight needs help."
"Why would she need help?" XL asks "She smart enough as is."
"That maybe but how many people have had to replace robotic limbs before?" Rage replies. "Besides once I am done here I have a few more questions for Flora."
"What else is there to ask her about?" XL asks
"If she managed to get here I need to know how." Rage answers "If it creates any form of potential danger I will need to find a way to close it."
"Well anyw- OW" XL shouts looking at Twilight "Careful there."
"S-sorry." Twilight says "Hey uh…XL you're a Guardian like Rage too right?"
"Well we're not the same." XL sighs.
"You aren't?" Twilight asks.
"I am an Elemental Guardian, Rage is a Chaos Guardian. From what I understand they were a lot more organized back during their prime." XL answers "The Elemental Guardians have just been here and there."
"I see so then which group is stronger?" Twilight asks.
"That's a matter of who against who. I'll tell you this much, if Rage and I were to battle he'd kick my ass." XL admits
"What makes you say that?" Twilight asks grabbing a small welder.
"Well it's a guess." XL chuckles "Maybe I could beat him if I tried hard enough."
"You really think so?" Twilight asks and XL shrugs.
Twilight looks at the new arm she was finishing and wipes her brow of sweat as she puts the welder down "I should be fine from here on Rage" Twilight says
"If that is the case then I will be off." Rage says turning to leave.
"Rage, don't go too far with her." XL warns.
"Don't worry." Rage says "She'll cooperate."
Rage arrives back at his house where Flora was sitting on one of his couches. "Is XL okay?" she asks.
"He's fine." Rage says sitting across from her "What about you? How are you doing?"
"I am okay." She says looking down. "So…what happened exactly with me?" she asks.
"Well from what I know is you were corrupted, XL and I ended up fusing in order to save you."
"Fused?! He could have killed you from that!" She shouts.
"Other way around." Rage denies shaking his head.
"But…If an elemental guardian fuses with a non-elemental guardian it normally kills the other person unless…you're one of those Chaos Guardians aren't you?"
"Correct." Rage answers.
"I never got your name, Mr. Guardian." Flora says.
"It's Rage, Rage Chaotic." Rage answers.
"I thought the Chaos Guardians were all dead…so how did you become one?" she asks.
"Fate…prophecy…probably some other cosmic power." Rage answers with a sigh "I am the last one."
"Well why are you so concerned about what happened to me?" Flora asks.
"Long story short, the guy who did it to you may or may not have been a person of interest." Rage responds "Ever heard of Vlagh?"
"I have heard the legends." She answers "But then again so has everyone on Mobius. He's just a legend told to keep children from acting poorly."
"I wish that was the case…" Rage sighs looking at the floor.
"What are you talking about?" Floar questions with a worried tone.
"Vlagh is real, he comes from Dark Mobius and he's the reason that the Chaos Guardians are, more or less, extinct. He…he is the reason my family is dead and why I am who I am now." Rage answers. "If he is back again then I need to know."
"Why so you can go off and risk your life fighting him?" Flora asks.
"Well not now." Rage answers "I wouldn't stand a chance against him the way I am now."
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"I don't just regain my energy overnight Flora. With all the energy that I have had to use in the last two days I am going to need a few days to recover at best. Guess that's the drawback of being a Chaos Guardian. All this power but use too much and you'll be crippled for a while."
"I still don't see what all of this has to do with what happened to me." Flora scoffs "I lost my ring that's all."
"That maybe but then how did you get here?" Rage asks. "Not from Mobius, I ensured any teleportation ties were blocked."
"How do you do that?" Flora asks
"Well when you teleport from one place to another you become energy. I throw the right kind of Chaos based interference and it will send you back to where you came from. That being said, I cannot block teleportation if they are using dark energy. So, unless you have that power inside of you the only logical conclusion is that another person is involved." Rage explains.
"Well maybe…I don't remember much when I was corrupted. I think I remember a male figure but that's it…maybe." Flora sighs struggling to remember. This made Rage sigh. "What? I am doing my best."
"No, no it's not you." Rage responds "It's common and I honestly should have expected your memory to be hazy I was just hoping a little too much."
"Now that I answered your question can you answer some of mine?" Flora asks.
"Sure." Rage answers.
Meanwhile back with Twilight and XL. Twilight had XL hooked up to a computer and was typing on a keyboard. "Hey, Twi…" he asks softly.
"Yeah?" she asks.
"D-do you think any different of me knowing where I am from?" he asks.
"Well you and Rage are from the same place so I dunno." She answers. "I still find it scientifically improbable that other worlds exist like that.
"Does it scare you? You know that I could go crazy like Flora did?" he asks.
"A little but Rage can always fix you." Twilight responds.
"Please, he'd sooner kill than help me." XL scoffs. "You saw how quick he was to jump the gun with Flora."
"You know under that rough skin of his Rage is actually very nice." Twilight says. "I doubt he'd kill you if he was able to avoid it. Beat you down until you stop however? Well he'd probably do that."
"Heh. You're right." XL chuckles before grunting in pain. "Ow."
"Sorry I am working on getting these new robot parts working right." Twilight apologizes.
"It's alright Twilight." XL smiles. "Hey do you think Flutters and AJ are doing alright?"
"What do you mean?" Twilight asks "Like as a couple?"
"Yeah." XL answers.
"Well from what I know they are doing good so far. They're happy for sure." Twilight asks.
"Hmm what about Rage and Sunset?" he asks continuing the questions.
"They're the most casual couple out of all our friends. I think they're the only ones who haven't er… you know." Twilight says nervously.
"Know what?" XL asks looking at her.
"Well er…I think they're the only ones who haven't…banged…" Twilight sighs.
"Wait are you serious?" XL snickers.
"Oh ha ha I am glad to see that's funny to you." Twilight says scornfully
"Sorry…" XL apologizes.
"It's best we don't talk about it." Twilight answers. "So what about you? Are you with Flora or something?"
"What?" XL asks "N-no! What makes you think that?"
"Well you're both Elemental Guardians or whatever and all." Twilight says
"We're like exact opposites." XL scoffs
"Sorry." Twilight apologizes before hitting a button on the side of the keyboard "Done!" She exclaims.
"Really?" XL asks as he leaps to his feet. "Wow! Good as new! Thanks Twilight!"
"Be sure to thank Sonic for getting the parts from." Twilight reminds him.
"Oh I will." XL says.
Back at Rage's hose Flora and Rage were still in the living room. "So…you think he could? Become that again?"
"It's possible." Rage answers. "I have no clue how it all affected him the first time but Sonic's recent behavior are mirroring some he showed back then."
"This is a little awkward but… do you think I could…use your shower quick?" Flora asks.
"Well normally I don't let others use my shower for obvious reasons but in this case, alright are you going to need a place to stay as well?" Rage asks
"Well unless you can send me home I will." She answers.
"Right now I'd rather not send you back. It's too risky." Rage sighs. "XL may have spare room but I do as well."
"I'll go stay with XL if you don't mind." Flora says gathering her things.
"If you need clothes I have some…gender neutral things in my closet on the right side." Rage says as she walks up stairs.
"Thank you!" She calls down. Rage heard the shower turn on and he then opened his book.
Flora finished her shower quickly and slipped a towel on before sliding into Rage's room. She looks around a little noticing besides a few posters and pictures of him, Sonic and Shadow it was a bland room. She opens the closet and a grey kosode caught her eye before looking on the right side before pulling a set of athletic gear out. She tries them on. "A little tight, but it will do." She says looking in the closet door mirror.
Flora walks back downstairs and sits back on the couch she was on before. "Rage…what is that strange robe you have up in your closet?" she asks.
"That?" Rage puts his book down. "It's my Chaos Guardian wear." He answers "A kosode made for Chaos Guardians I haven't used it since my training but I keep it just in case. Do the clothes fit okay?
"They'll do for now." She answers.
"You should see Rarity, she can get you hooked up with some better clothes." Rage suggests as the doorbell rings. He gets up and goes to the door before opening it to see XL.
"Hey, Rage is Flora here?" he asks.
"As a matter of fact yeah." Rage says as she walks up.
"Hey XL…do you mind if I stay with you for a while?" she asks.
"Well I don't have an extra bed…" XL says rubbing the back of his head.
"I have a cot." Rage shrugs "But that's about it."
"Thanks Rage but I'll be fine." XL answers "She can use my bed."
"Alright you two should get going then. The sun will be setting soon." He advises.
"Alright see you in school tomorrow." XL waves as he and Flora walk off. After they left the driveway Rage closed the door and yawned. He walked up to his room and looked at the picture of him and his two brothers. "Icezer…Xage…" he says softly "Please be safe…"