Chapter 28: Birthday Celebrations
"Happy Birthday, Alex!" countless voices cheered out, and applause rang out as a cake topped with vanilla icing and sixteen candles was placed in front of the young human they were celebrating.
Since they technically didn't know his original date of birth, they celebrated his birthday using the date A2 had found him in the cryogenics lab as his new birthday.
And what party was complete without partygoers? His family hadn't grown much over the years, but there were still plenty of people to celebrate with him.
Alex couldn't help but grin happily at his guests, feeling a great sense of joy.
He was at the end of a long table, his mother, A2, sitting beside him at the table on his right while Pod 153 hovered over her shoulder, the device no doubt taking pictures and recording the whole event.
His many aunts and uncles were there, of course. From 2B and 9S, to Emil, Hatchet and Jaqueline, the latter with her arms draped over Hatchet's shoulders, snuggling in close to the burly repairman. Hatchet had a red face, but he didn't look all that upset with the situation. They sat with A2 on the right-hand side of the table.
'Aunt Jacky's been a lot more affectionate recently. And happy. I wonder if one of her experiments finally worked?' Alex wondered, before his gaze wandered some more.
His fun-loving cousin Sebastian sat further down the right-hand side of the table, the repurposed S-type and son of Hatchet chatting with his 'big sisters' Popola and Devolva, who were listening politely to whatever he was discussing with them from the end of the table.
Along the left-hand side of the table were even more guests. Closest to Alexander was his best friend, Blue, the big machine girl and her iconic pink bow a pleasant sight. Pascal was besides Blue, the leader of Machine Town – it grown too big to be called a village anymore – cheerfully speaking with Anemone, leader of the settlement of New Hope. The old Resistance camp had also grown beyond its previous role thanks to the reclamation efforts to turn the ruins habitable once more. It'd become a town in its own rights as well in the past few years with hundreds of new androids moving in.
Seated directly across from 2B and 9S were the Operators 6O and 21O, jealously watching as his aunt and uncle sat close to each other and held hands.
'I wonder when they'll make their move,' Alex wondered, glancing between the two pairs. 2B and 9S had been dancing around each other for years, which had only gotten worse when the Operators made their feelings for the two known. 6O wanted 2B. 21O desired 9S. But 9S was faithful to 2B, and 2B was the same, even if the two exiled YoRHa units still refused to admit they loved each other.
The rest of their friends and family had a betting pool going on when one of them would break, and who would get with who. Alexander personally had a thousand g on a foursome happening sometime in the next year. Aunt Jaqueline had been so proud of him when she'd learned that. His mother had been less than amused.
The final two guests at the party were a bit unconventional, even for the strange household that contained an ancient war machine possessing a human's memories, twins who'd known said war machine back when it'd been an actual human, and an eccentric, mad scientist.
Chompy the Goat was old. More than a pet, she'd been a companion of his for many years. She'd given them dairy products and love in abundance, and even after she could no longer produce any milk, Alexander kept her close and continued to care for her. He'd known her since he'd been young, after all, and she'd gotten a seat at the table.
The last guest was a new addition to the family, and watched the party from his spot atop the table. Marquis the tortoise was a cute fellow, with a beautiful green and blue shell. When he'd been ten, Alexander and Blue had found young Marquis in the Forest Zone. He'd had a gold coin stuck to the top of his shell, which had fused together as the tortoise had gotten older and his shell had hardened. He was also pretty big, almost three feet long
Perhaps the most curious aspect about Marquis though was that he could float and control water to a limited extent, riding around on bubbles of magically manipulated water. Somehow, he was able to use magic. Emil had no idea how or why it was possible, but hypothesized that more than just humans had adapted to the presence of Maso particles left over from White Chlorination Syndrome, which had eventually become safe-to-use Mana energy.
"Alex! You're going to get wax all over your cake if you keep daydreaming," Blue chided her friend, and he chuckled awkwardly, turning his attention back to what lay in front of him.
"I do love this tradition of honoring another year of life," Pascal commented as Alexander blew out the candles. "Though why the age of sixteen in particular is 'sweet' and thus of significance to make noteworthy remains a mystery to me."
"It's a mystery to me as well," 9S commented. "According to my research, the ages of 18 and 21 were of much higher importance, culturally and socially, as they were when one was legally an adult, and could drink and drive and do other adult activities. I suspect the age of 16 is some milestone based on data we currently lack."
"I don't recall celebrating my 16th birthday with more fanfare than usual," Emil noted. "I was ten when I was experimented upon, and then I went into stasis for a while. I was over a thousand years old by the time I met Nier."
"And yet you are still as short and tiny as ever despite being older than literally everyone here," Devolva teased the skullboy. Emil huffed grumpily at that.
"Not my fault those scientists froze my physical and mental development with all of their stupid experiments."
"No, I suppose not," Popola agreed, siding with him. She then turned to Alex, who was laser focused on carefully cutting up the cake into seventeen individual slices.
"You do know some of us can't actually eat, right?" the red-head with straighter hair than her sibling inquired, glancing at the Machine Lifeforms in the room, to which Alexander simply nodded.
"Just because they cannot eat, doesn't mean I shouldn't show some form of hospitality towards them," he explained. "Politeness costs nothing, after all, and if they so wish, they can share their slice with someone else. Or, they can keep it and just enjoy how it looks and smells. Speaking of, how are those new scent receptors working, Blue?"
"They work wonderfully, Alexander," the bot with the pink bow said happily. "It is amazing how you managed to design a way for me to smell things like you do!"
"Well, it was both Emil and Aunt Jacky who really did all the work, I just had the idea," the last human said modestly. "I mean, if androids can have a sense of smell, why not Machine Lifeforms as well?"
Blue shook her head at that in fond exasperation for his humble attitude. "Even so, it was a wonderful gift!"
"Indeed. The townsfolk have been most intrigued by the new data and sensations the ability to 'smell' can bring forth," Pascal praised. Alexander flushed red at that, but couldn't help but smile happily at the thought.
"Taste is a bit harder to codify, and since you don't have mouths I have no idea how we'd even get that working, but I'll keep at. I should find a solution eventually," Alex claimed. He then waved a hand, and telekinetically lifted up the careful cut pieces of cake over to everyone's plate.
"Enjoy!" he said, and everyone raised a fork in mock salute towards the birthday boy before digging in.
"This is quite good," Popola commented. "I have not tasted vanilla in a long time. And the cake itself is excellent as well."
"Thank you, it was a joint effort," 2B said, nodding her head in thanks towards the red-head. "Jaqueline synthesized the vanilla flavoring for the icing, while I ensured the cake was baked properly."
"2B has been on a real cooking kick recently," 9S said proudly. "She's been experimenting with all kinds of old human recipes!"
"Well, it's no big deal, everyone else has their hobbies," 2B said with a blush. "Jaqueline and Hatchet have their machines and experiments, A2 dotes on Alex, 6O has her lovely garden, 21O has taken up tailoring, and 9S has been making an effort to uncover and archive even more human historical data. I felt I needed something to do that wasn't related to fighting."
"And you've done great, 2B!" 6O praised. "Once the new herbs are ready, I'll get them to you. And maybe we can do some experiments of our own?"
Emil and Devolva both snorted at that, while the innocent Operator android looked at them in confusion.
"What? What did I say?"
"Nothing, they're simply being immature," Popola said, sending her sibling and skullboy a reprimanding look.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Blue, Pascal?" Alex inquired, looking to the pair of Machine Lifeforms.
"2B has outdone herself. The smell is wonderful," Pascal praised, while Blue gave a clunky thumbs up.
"I am more excited about the gifts," Blue admitted. "I hope you like mine!"
"I have no doubt I will," Alex assured his friend. "To be honest, I'd love anything that you'd get for me."
"Sweet-talking me won't work. You'll have to wait to find out what I got you!" Blue giggled, and Alex snapped his fingers in mock defeat.
"Darn! You figured out my plan!" he said playfully.
Chompy looked up from her slice of cake and let out a 'Baaa!', causing Sebastian to nod.
"You said it, Chompy," the rebuilt S-type agreed. "They are a cute couple!"
"What!" Alexander choked out, face bright red, while Blue giggled awkwardly, her head spinning around rapidly.
"Ha! Ha! HA! You are so funny, Sebastian!" Blue finally managed to say. "Alexander and I are just friends!"
"Yeah!" the last human on Earth agreed.
Alexander narrowed his eyes when everyone at the table capable of it rolled their eyes. Even Marquis, the traitor!
"Alexander is too young to be thinking such thoughts, anyways!" A2 declared firmly. "Now, I think it is time for presents! Pod 153! If you please!"
"Deploying gifts," the floating machine announced, and a large bundle of wrapped presents were beamed onto the table in front of Alex, who pushed aside his plate and grabbed the first one from the pile.
"This looks like Uncle Nine's handwriting," Alex guessed as looked at the tag. He opened it carefully, always careful with the wrapping paper. Rather than tear it, the human liked to keep the packaging pristine. It felt politer that way.
"Oh, wow, I can't believe you found a copy!" Alex gushed as he held up a battered plastic container. The words 'Ace Fighter 3' were written on it in bold colors.
"I know how much you liked the last two games," 9S replied. "I did some digging through an old game store and found an intact copy."
"Neat!" Alex cheered, excited to try it out. He didn't have many games, few having survived the multiple apocalypses. And whoever had built the Lunar Archives hadn't considered many videogames as worth preserving as part of humanity's legacy.
'Several yottaflops worth of porn were apparently A-OK to download, but not any RPG's,' Alex thought dryly.
The next gifts he opened were from the twins. The first was a book, containing several stories and fables from the old world. Popula had been a librarian in her old life as overseer of the Replicants, after all, and had managed to keep a few in her memory despite the vast passage of time.
Meanwhile, the second gift was a CD containing a collection of songs and music from the old world. It was a showcase of Devola's skills as a bard, and Alex thanked them both gratefully for the wonderful offerings.
More gifts came. Emil gave Alex a wand to focus his magic. Sebastian and Hatchet had upgraded his gaming rig with new software to improve the experience. Anemone had gotten him a pair of nice, combat-looking boots that could resist all sorts of damage and elements. 2B had presented him with a new training sword. 6O and 21O had gotten him some new clothes, which the latter had sewn herself. They resembled a more stylish version of the YoRHa uniform 9S wore. Pascal gifted Alex with books on philosophy and A2 got him a text called 'Public Speaking for Dummies.'
Alexander had a feeling his mother was trying to tell him something.
The last two gifts were from Blue and Jaqueline, and his aunt motioned for him to open her gift first.
"What the?" Alex muttered as he opened up the tiny box. Inside was a key, which he removed in order to look at more closely.
"Wait, is that-!" Hatchet gasped, and Jaqueline grinned widely.
"It is! Congrats, kid! Those are keys to your very own new motorcycle!"
"What?!" A2 exclaimed, glaring daggers the Resistance Gynoid.
"Hey, take it easy! I've seen records that show humans learned how to drive vehicles starting around this age! Besides, he's more mature than a regular sixteen-year-old. Kid's got the mind of a twenty-year-old, he'll be fine!" she assured the overprotective A2.
"I think it's a good idea for him to have his own method of transportation," Emil piped up. "He'll have to learn how to ride it first, and learn how to do so safely as well as take care of it beforehand."
"I have a whole course set up for that," Jaqueline revealed. "Drop him off at the base's motor depot and we can show him how to drive properly."
"The base?" A2 muttered. "Isn't that… a little too public?"
"We've slowly been weaning the androids onto his presence little by little over the years, A2. Alex might be a celebrity of sorts but they won't mob him like they did when he was ten," Jaqueline reminded his mother as Alex winced at that memory.
It had been an accident. A young and roguish Alex had, when he was ten, snuck into the back of Hatchet's jeep when he'd gone off to the Resistance base for supplies.
He'd been discovered almost immediately when he'd tried to sneak through the market place, and every android in the camp found out about him.
The sheer hope and reverence in the eyes of the Resistance members… it'd chilled him, back then. Their expressions were nothing like the kind and loving looks his mother or family gave him. There was desperation in those androids, and the idea he was supposed to lead them, command them, to tell them what to do, and that they wanted him to do so, had filled young Alexander with a host of emotions.
The most shameful of which – a desire to do whatever he wanted to the pleading masses that looked up at him like a god – he kept buried deep, deep down in the depths of his psyche, to never see the light of day again.
Naturally, the fact a human was alive had spread like wildfire, and an annoyed Commander White had had to reveal to both YoRHa and the Resistance across the planet that yes, humanity was not as extinct as they'd assumed, and also that they were working on efforts to further restore the human race.
The next couple of years had been awkward to say the least, as he was slowly introduced to the world. A2 two had even reluctantly allowed for some of his life to be streamed to the masses on special occasions.
Alex glanced at the hovering pod, and knew that the pictures and videos 153 were taking of his birthday would eventually be sent across the Tac-Net for all the androids to see. He just tried to ignore it, pretending he wasn't being gawked at or praised as a messianic figure.
"Okay," he said, cutting off the arguing that'd been going on while he'd zoned out. "I'll do it."
"Thank you, Alex," Jaqueline said softly with a smile. She then gestured to the table. "You have one gift left."
Alex nodded, and he took Blue's gift and slowly unwrapped it, a genuine smile appearing on his face as he picked up the item.
"Awesome!" he breathed out. Blue's gift was a pair of stylish goggles. The lens were dark, and were set into a slightly bulky bronze colored headpiece. The strap was black and stretchy, and there was a couple of buttons and dials on the sides of the goggles.
"I made it myself," Blue said proudly. "It's similar to the YoRHa tactical visors, so you can scan objects, use five different levels of view magnification, and is scratch and water proof! It also has built in communications systems, so you can make and receive calls and tune in to the radio or Tac-Net!"
Alex tried it on immediately, putting it over his head. As soon as he did, the lens lit up, turning into miniature screens that displayed a host of data, from the time, to the humidity and pollen level levels. Looking at each person seated at the table, he saw their name pop up above their heads.
"I love it, Blue!" Alex claimed, taking the goggles off for the moment. He then leaned in and hugged the cylinder-shaped Machine.
Alex then went around the table, hugging the rest of his friends and family, thanking them for the wonderful gifts and for celebrating with him.
Eventually, the party wound down, and it was time for everyone to depart.
"We'll see you tomorrow," the twins promised him, being some of the last to depart. "We won't let Jaqueline do anything too crazy when teaching you."
"You act like I'm going to blow him up or something," Jaqueline grumbled under her breath. "See you later, kid!"
With Anemone at their sides, the four Resistance gynoids departed.
Standing beside him, Blue could not but help but notice the way Alexander's eyes observed the women's – especially the two red-heads' – rears as they walked off.
Something hot and painful flared through her systems, and it felt like a glitch had occurred, but when she tried to run diagnostics, she found nothing wrong. The ribbon-wearing robot did not like it. Neither the lack of data nor the way her best friend watched the gynoids.
'What is wrong with me?' she wondered, worried, as that odd glitching feeling surged through her. 'I will ask Pascal about this when we return home.'
"Goodnight, Blue," Alexander said, shaking her out of her thoughts. "I'll see you soon."
"Yes, you will," she replied. "Goodnight as well, Alex."
Blue then grabbed onto Pascal, and the leader of the Machine Lifeform settlement activated her jetpack and flew the two of away. The sight of Alexander's smile made her forget her concerns for the moment.
It would be a while before Blue would experience that strange glitch again. But until then, things were peaceful.
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Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. It was supposed to be up earlier, but some glitches with uploading it caused the chapter to not appear properly. Should be all better now!