Due to Gou's impulsive nature and the unpredictability of the Roidmude healing process, it was hard to keep the schedule that the three had created for the first week or so. Even small tasks or chores, like washing the dishes, would suddenly trigger the shutdown process in Gou's body and there were many times when Gou or Chase would barely make it to their bed or the couch before passing out.

It started taxing the two mentally. Gou blamed himself for being too weak to heal quickly and thus delaying trying to figure out how to separate Chase and himself and getting the Roidmude his own body. Chase was starting to find it difficult to access the Roidmude parts as they integrated themselves into Gou's body, putting the notion in Chase's head that he was indeed just an intruder in the teen's body. There were many nights the two would cry themselves to sleep and both boys thought of telling Harley to contact Krim and turn themselves in.

—–

The breaking point happened when the two had a shared nightmare. It had started as one of Gou's; the time he had pretended to join the Roidmude side and the terror he felt as Brain held him down while Freeze grabbed his head and told Gou in vivid detail about every memory he was going to change as he created the icy needle and pushed it slowly into the teen's head.

It quickly morphed into one of Chase's and the last time he had been on the Roidmude side. Medic was in her Roidmude form, using her tentacles to almost squeeze the life out of him before throwing him forcefully against the wall, screaming at him the entire time on how useless he was. She grabbed his limp body and dug her fingernails in his head while stabbing his Core with one of her tentacles, downloading the final round of reprogramming in his being.

The combined nightmare forced the two awake and Gou barely made it to the bathroom. After laying on the cool floor for a bit to calm down, Gou shakily made it back to their room and shivered in bed, despite his blankets.

"Chase…we can't keep going on like this! It's been two weeks and we haven't been able to accomplish anything. I'm frustrated and scared and I know you are too. I don't want this to be our whole life. I don't want to…lose…"

"I…feel the same. I thought that if I helped control my old Roidmude body, I could help with the stress that it's putting on your body. But…I am losing access to it. It's being integrated more and I'm unfamiliar with human bodies, so I can't understand how to access with the new human additions."

The two grew silent, lost in their own thoughts, when Gou sat up suddenly. "We're idiots."

"Gou? What do you mean?"

Gou chuckled. "Chase, you just made me realize our problem. We keep claiming that we share a body…but we haven't ACTUALLY been doing it. We've only really tried controlling our own parts and NOT trying to control the other. I have no clue about any of your Roidmude body and in turn, you don't know about my human body. So we've just stuck to what we know."

"That's why it's taking us so long to heal. We're delaying our progress ourselves. I'm…sorry. I did tell you I would teach you how to use your Roidmude abilities but I haven't."

"It's not your fault, at least…not completely. I'm to blame myself. I kept trying to push my body to heal that I didn't realize what was going wrong internally. I think…tomorrow, we start understanding each other's bodies. Even if we just stay in bed and communicate in our head, that's the main thing we need to accomplish."

"Agreed. We need to leave Professor Harley a note telling him our plan in case he gets worried about us."

—-

Once the two added on the extra task teaching each other about the other's body, their mood and energy improved immensely. As soon as Gou and Chase had mastered being able to control their body by themselves if the other needed a mental break and were able to control it together to perform separate tasks, the two began to pour their hours into Harley's computer files, combing through everything about Roidmudes that Chase couldn't access with what parts of his they had to work with.

In a few weeks' time, they roughly had completed a Roidmude blueprint, completely with what items they needed to build it. It wasn't an exact match to the Human Roidmude form Chase had, but it had all the major and basic functions, plus Chase would stay in his human form most of the time anyway. In the meantime, Harley had been gathering and building what he could to help the two, including an improved Core Driviar that wouldn't put a shock on Chase when his Core was in the new body after being in Gou's for so long.

That was one of Gou's main concerns, that they would be too late in separating themselves and Chase would be trapped in Gou's body or even worse and Chase's consciousness just fade away. He had worried every time the Roidmude had grown silent for long periods and voiced his concerns during their talks they had each night before bed. As a reassurance, Chase began to open up and talk more, voicing his opinions and thoughts as they worked out the details on his new body.

—

"Alright boys! Got the last parts we needed in the mail today! Once we insert and attach them, Chase's body should be done."

Gou held up blood bags with a deep red liquid inside. "Chase and I just finished filling the bags with the synthetic energy liquid we created. Hopefully it's as close to Banno's recipe to work. Once the wire veins are filled and those parts put in, we can discuss when to insert Chase's Core."

Harley looked up from inserting the cavity where the Core would settle. "Well, depending on the time now, we could do it tonight, during your normal sleep cycle for the night. That way, when you two woke up, you'd be rested up and it wouldn't throw you off of the schedule you have for yourselves."

Gou had just finished inserting the last bag in the veins. "Chase…how about it? Do you want to do it tonight?"

The teen felt the Roidmude consciousness go silent for a few moments. Gou closed his eyes, patiently waiting for Chase to come back. It was a big decision and he would give his friend all the time he needed to make the choice.

"Alright. Let's do it tonight."

—-

"Gou, are you comfortable? I don't want you to be in any more pain than you'll be in when you wake up." Harley put the oxygen mask across Gou's mouth and nose and checked all the charts and connections one last time.

"I'm fine Professor. Besides, since I'll be in a deep sleep, the Roidmude healing will kick in and heal most of the incision before I wake up. Are you ready Chase?"

"Yes. Professor Harley, all you have to do is just cut the tendrils that are coming out of my Core. I'll float over to my new body and create more for you to attach. The green healing gel we created will aid in healing both Gou's body and mine. There won't be need for stitches. Just slather it on the incisions."

The professor went to turn the anesthesia on and waited for a few minutes after Gou's eyes closed before getting to work. Everything went smoothly and after Harley washed up the area, his tools, and himself, he went over to the two and gently squeezed their hands before heading to bed.

"Goodnight my boys."

—

Gou slowly opened his eyes and groaned as the blinding white ceiling hurt his eyes. He blinked a few times, trying to wake up and turned his head to look at the bed next to him, where Chase would be. The bed was empty and Gou sat up immediately, his eyes wide.

"Chase?!"

The teen heard someone running down the stairs and turned to look at the doorway. Chase was already in his human form, wearing a set of Gou's clothes that looked way too baggy on him. He ran up to Gou, the smile on his face rivaling the one the Roidmude had on his license.

"Professor Harley and I decided to let you sleep in since it would probably take you longer to heal than…"

Gou jumped up and pulled Chase into a bear hug, clinging to him like his life depended on it. "Everything turned out okay? Everything works?"

Chase equally returned the hug. "There may be a few things we didn't anticipate but I'll tell you after lunch. I'm starving and I know you are too."

The two made their way up the stairs only for Gou to stop halfway up. "Wait…starving?! But…I only ever saw you drink water! Chase!?"

Chase turned around and grinned sheepishly, grabbing Gou's arm. "I'll explain after lunch like I said. But for now, pizza awaits!"