"Huh...It's not...as bad as I thought!" X informed his companion on his new mission;
Getting some cloth his wife would actually like.
Neo-Arcadia had not fallen to chaos (yet) after the first few hours of the broadcast and the beginning of his sabbatical ( Sort-of retirement.) there was not Maverick uprising, not riots...and no celebration on the streets, surprisingly enough...
But then, maybe the celebration was already over, for it was already close to twilight.
But what X could see were some reploids sweeping the streets; they wore a slight smile on their face...and yet they still had a bit of tension in their frames.
And he could see couples enjoying the expertly controlled night air...many were humans...some were reploids...
Those he had failed.
Grimly, X wondered how many synths would trow stoned,, and other damaging objects to their emperor were he to reveal himself.
Not that anyone would think twice about the very basic-looking reploid walking around in a purple and green hoody, for Andrew was the one all gazes went to.
'It only took me four years to be worst than Sigma...I know how those reploids must feel. Oh, my synth...my son's and daughter, I am was not lying when I told you all you were free, and back to be on par with humans legally.'
Beside him, Andrew chuckled. "Yes...Neo-Arcadia may be more of a paradise for humans, but those same humans are not as ingrate as you were lead the believe." The old man informed X. "There were the terrible times...and the times were some reploids had to leave due to persecution...and the lives that were lost."
"All 3,392 of them...and more." really, X knew more had to be slain...much, much more.
"Yes...But really, it could've been worst." Andrew's smile was illogical to the retired emperor. " without those brave humans who hacked the system to make reploids the most needed; there would be more than a mere three-thousands deads. And Just imagine if Zero would not have come back on time, or w-."
"...Can we please change the subject?" X wanted to move away from those horrible four years...and more. He needed to move on a rebuild...and heal.
Draupadi-Zero was right; he had been wounded on the battlefield. And had practically lost all efficiency. He had to take some time to heal, to regroup...
To pray to God, Krishna and spoil his Amazing wife... and help her spread Krishna Consciousness to all of those who called Neo-Arcadia home...no matter their form of birth.
After spending all this time hearing Draupadi speak about Krishna...About God and the power of the chanting, X had just now realized that serving his dearest wife the way she wanted would be the best reparation he could give to the world at large.
X stopped in his track... his eyes wide as realization hit him harder than Zero's hammer.
'...by killing all those reploids, I spurred the resistance to find Zero, and by finding Zero, Draupadi woke up, and with my Draupadi came this amazing science...and with this Spiritual-science-"
He could give eternal happiness to his citizens, no, the entire world.
"Hmm? Master X, is everything alright?" Andrew asked, turning to his companion.
X tried his best to stifle the spontaneous and absolutely radiant grin that had deployed on the battleground of his face, defeating the army of gloom that had overtaken this strategic point. "Yes...Yes, everything is perfect."
this utterance made the Cain-like reploid's impressive brows shot up. "Oh my...what is the cause of this jubilation, my friend?"
X's smile broadened. "For the first time in centuries, I now have hope...real, eternal hope."
Andrew chuckled. "Yes... You truly are one of us, X. For you have realized the wealth, Draupadi-Zero brought us back from her hundred-year nap."
"Oh, I always considered myself the most fortunate man on the planet when Zero's around. I just didn't expected him...her to be so precious." X vented as he resumed his strides. "I...I know she's well underway to finish the first transcription...The Bhagavad-Gita. I read it to her sometime."
"Oh...care to give me some spoiler about this book, my friend?" Andrew asked as he leads X down an alley...it was a dark one with very little light, not that X felt any hindrance whatsoever. But he was somewhat worried about where the geriatric-like Reploid was leading him. At this time, not many reploid friendly stores would be open. And the few that were opened didn;t have proper clothing that would suit his dearest, Zaki.
From Fefnir's report of Zero's reaction to the classic Neo-Arcadian skirt, she clearly didn;t like it.
"Oh, I know this one store that catheters to reploids...it's open until very late, obliviously, and the clothing there is rather out of fashion...but you can get a good price for it."
"I see...Draupadi always loved vintage clothing." A soft smile lit his lips. "So, from what I read in the Bhagavad-Gita, the goal of life is to serve Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have to abandon ourselves to him but... Draupadi told me it might be too hard for us."
"Oh?"
X pressed his lips. "And I get where she is coming from. I... from what I've observed from both humans and reploid alike, we've all been trained to never give up, never give in and never surrender. and while it may seem heroic...it also have its flaws."
"No one asks for help; no one admits that they need help, and when help is given, it is rejected." Andrew resumed with a pearl of wisdom bellowed by his look. "O knows... I've made my own prideful mistake."
"Humility is treated as a show of weakness, and vulnerability an open the door to abuse." X's smile... a smile that was already but a mere suggestion, diminished further. "Authorities have exploited people too much, and thus, all have lost faith in them and their protection. Now, if God, the one that was previously seen as a strict master and the greatest punisher, someone who were heard about his death of destruction, but not his shows of personal love... an unknown with authority over everything... and the cause of the numerous calamities that have befallen the world, how do you think people will react?"
"They would seek and destroy the last of the revealed scripture and your wife, at worst. or just ignore the sacred teaching and go on their merry way." The Cain-like reploid uttered. "And once again waste their rare human form of life, without a goal and waiting for death at the end of it all."
"But... Draupadi and Prabhupada... they have brought us a method so sweet, everyone can practice it." A genuine smile light X's lips. "It's called the Harinama Sankirtana; you chant the Hare Krishna Mantra, Dance like a mad man and feast on sacred food. and this is what my Wife's plan is."
"To sing, dance and feast." Andrew chuckled. "My, if this is the religion for the age, then count me in more!" He declared with a small hop.
It was hard not to feel enthused by his energy and enthusiasm of his friend...
X paused... he had a friend!
He didn't know how long it would last and if Andrew would still hang out with him once he knew the incumbent regent more, but...
X had a friend, a new friend.
"X?"
"Are you... do you want to be?" 'no... too early. I' will wait for a bit, get to know Andrew a little more before I can call him that.' "Do you know where I could find a store open at this hour?" X smoothly managed to swge away from his embarrassing faux pas. "My Draupadi need some proper cloth since... well, the armour was destroyed, and knowing her, she longs for a proper dress."
"Ah? Well, I'm sure we'll be able to find something for your good wife, Max. And if all fail, the owner also happens to be an accomplished seamstress." Andrew added with a fond smile. Leading the retired emperor ever deeper in the reploid Ghetto.
A reploid ghetto...
'Well...now I know were to start giving Krishna's mercy first...' X tried not to let his relatively good mood plummet. Yes, he had made some mistakes. Yes, those mistakes had to lead to a huge downgrade in the quality of life for the reploids...but those could be fixed.
Zero was here...Draupadi was here, and she had brought with her the lost teachings.
God was on her side...and as long as X would serve her, then he had nothing to worry about.
Eventually, they arrived at a small store; it was a reploid part shop...
Most parts were either willingly donated; others were lifted from retired reploids...
It was...quite a gruesome store. But with how reploids were treated...it was as good as a hospital.
'I...It can change...I can change it...can I?' X wondered as he was lead in by Andrew. Yes, he may have been the emperor, the ruler...but what where his power? Was he really the supreme authority here? Or was he just a mere puppet?
No...He never really had the full power as a king; his oversensitive and glitch-ridden pain chip made it impossible for X to take the important decisions, those who could cause humans to be unhappy.
He clenched his jaw...no...He would not climb on the throne again, for being a king, a ruler had disconnected him from those he had sworn to protect. Right now... His Draupadi had given him the real cure for all viruses, for all problems.
The supreme peace formula; the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra.
Both walked into the gruesome store; the place was rather clean, for their stock were all in the back. (whatever was in the storefront had been willingly donated and kept for posterity.) Inside, some reploids were excitedly chatting about X's demotion, Zero's return and the fact that wow, how could the holographic library be wrong about Zero's gender and how hot she was...
Yes...X knew his wife was hot, which was why he had asked leviathan to let his beloved swim in her personal pool. Even while knowing the risk involved.
And as expected, Draupadi had cleared out all of her clogged fans and internal workings, and this had resulted in a much cooler wife to hold... If leviathan's report had been any indication.
And knowing the amount of stress and frustration she was dealing with (mostly his fault.) He had asked Fefnir to take Draupadi to his floor, were the greenery and the atmosphere was calm and sweet...and where both could fight at their heart's content in the fire red copy's sparring room.
Yes...Fefnir was the one maintaining the training halls. And the only place where Draupadi-Zero, now awakened, could go all out.
That is, if he's more aggressive, copy could hold it until they reached the last basement, that is.
'Oh, Fefnir...you are so lucky right now.'
"... I'm still worried about master X."One reploid told his partner. Breaking X out of his thought and reflected happiness. "The way he had broken down...It really makes me wonder if miss Ciel didn't mess up her repairs, you know?"
"Yeah...I may not be that old, but I had this one friend who used to know Axl. He's blown up now, obliviously, but he used to tell me how fair and gentle X was before. Like, a hundred years before when he was still fighting mavericks."
"With, or without Zero?"
"With Zero...Geez...and I tough fighting a war without his com padre's what killed his spark."
"Nah, man...He's lost his wife. No wonder he went crazy."
"Still, killing all those reploids was a bit much, don't you think?" the other reploid asked. Unaware that X was listening nearby. "I mean...it's just one F-model. If X really missed her so much, why didn't he commissions the science guy to make him a new one?"
X clenched his jaws and walked away, unwilling to make a scene.
It was not a piece of hardware he had fallen head over heel for; Draupadi could've been in Sigma's body, and he would still love them.
And Zaki...Zaki was not copiable; she was unique...She was the beautiful soul with a mind that matched his and had an unequal love.
And no scientist could emulate that.
He walked back to Andrew, who was speaking to a very pretty nurse.
That's how she was designed...to be the quintessential cute nurse with an impractical skirt, blond hairs that evoked a pair of angel wings and a face that screamed. 'I'm clumsy, ditsy and innocent; please exploit me.'
Poor thing.
"Ah...and here he is." He smiled at X. "I found this gentleman walking around in a daze close to the needle. He's struggling with desperation, it seems."
"Oh my...this is quite dangerous." The ditsy angel gasped, her voice fitting her frame to a T. "Come in and sit down, sir. I will run a check-up and see how we can get you out of those terrible thoughts." She held his wrist as she pulled X to a room in the back.
It was a very humble reploid repair and diagnosis room...and it was made in such a way that it resembled any doctor's room.
"Ma'am...I'm fine, really." X tried to disused the reploid nurse. He was getting out of it...it was slow going, but with the help of Draupadi and God, his depression was slowly but surely leaving...
Even if it took some time.
"Yes...that's what your mind is telling you until you would try playing skipping rope with an industrial live wire." she stated as she made X sit in a chair and went to close the door. "there! We are alone now; whatever you tell me will remain in this room, and nobody else, not even Master X, will know of what you have spoken, my dear." She stated as she took a scrub from behind the door and took he seat in front of X, across a well-worn desk. "My name is doctor Cinnamon, multi-disciplinarian his fourteen fields of reploid and human cares." she introduced herself, now glowing with a type of professionalism that seemed to have eclipsed whatever male fantasy had once been there.
X, taken aback by this development, tried to contact Andrew to be hit with a very effective firewall.
'Ah...It seems Andrew's real plan was for me to see a doctor...' He gave a wry smile.
"Sir...?" She asked as she opened her data-pad, taking out the stylus to start jotting down whatever she thought was wrong with him. "I'm only running a light scan on you; just relax; it won't take long."
'I wonder how long it would take until she reaches the end of the list.' He gave a self-deprecating smile.
"You told me that whatever is said will be kept private? And that not even the Master of Neo-Arcadia will hear of it?" He asked, keeping his face a careful neutral.
Cinnamon's eyes softened. "I swear it on Saint-Zero's holy helmet."
At those words, X broke into a smile.'Ah, she must be one of those cultists...I never thought my little chat-room would get blown to this proportion.' "Alright...But her name is Draupadi now."
Cinnamon pursed her lips. "Until we can confirm this reploids identity, Saint-Zero will remain as an M-frame reploid. No need to updates the records because of a mere copy."
X chuckled.
"Yes? What's so funny?" Cinnamon asked.
"Oh...I was on T.V recently...with my wife."
The doctor stared. "I...see." She was probably psychoanalyzing him.
"She's such a wonderful person, blond, powerful, threatened Neo-Arcadia with destruction if they tried to attack me again." As he spoke, X's smile grew wider...and laughter glowed in his voice as cinnamon saw the proverbial light. "She changed a lot though...last I saw here was more than a hundred years ago... And she used to be my boyfriend."
Cinnamon's professionalism seemed to waver as she tried to compute what the (practically) ex-ruler of Neo-Arcadia had just said.
"I think you need to have my full designation, right?" He asked Doctor cinnamon. "My designation is SLN-000X Variable Mega Man. But everybody calls me Master X for some odd reasons." he playfully shrugged.
'Alright...what in the name of all that's good is my wife doing to Fefnir? I never felt so giddy in my entire life!'
The stylus fell from doctor Cinnamon's hand and clattered on and under her desk... and then X heard the door lock twice.
"So...About that check-up?" He grinned; while he felt better mentally, it wouldn't hurt to be checked over by a reploid...even if this reploid was operating an illegal hospital of fortune. "Me and my friend, Andrew, were planning to get her some cloth...one of her demands. But I don't think any stores are open, right?"
There was the sound of a buster shot charging, and X began to wonder how would this crazy day end.
And then he remembered a Quote his dear wife would often use, something God had said to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra.
I am Adventure.
'Yes...your right, my Lord; I do miss adventure.'
Back at Fefnir's underground Garden of Vrinda-devi...since Eden was not as pretty. Everything was eerily quiet.
Save for Fefnir's moans and groans of utter satisfaction...and Draupadi's Chanting of Jaya-Radha-Madhava as she busied herself in removing X's brother's left thumb...while sitting on top of him.
She needed a new one...and the fire General thumb were perfect...and undamaged by their fight.
Draupadi knew just how intense her friendly fight could be with X, and she could still remember numerous authorities yelling at the two robot masters about the destroyed sparing rooms again.
Really, if she would've fought Fefnir in his beautiful garden, the only ashes would be left.
The Vaishnavi was covered with a few burned marks, her hair dirty and tangled with spend fuel. And her nice cotton top was but a thin layer of carbon and maybe a red shred of fibres or two. Her feet were thankfully undamaged; for this time, she remembered to put her red boots on.
She felt sore, tired, a bit damaged but satisfied by the fight...and desperately longing to chant on her returned beads, The Mantra and her Guru's blessing calling out to her with the same intensity as Sri-Krishna's flute song.
Still, she wanted to leave something for Fefnir...or take something for him.
Speaking of the elite fighter, he had fought with all of his might, not holding anything back as he rained down the fire of devastation onto Draupadi's head...until Draupadi began launching a barrage of rehoukan... and finishing it off with he Genmou mode.
Fefnir's frame was covered with numerous cuts, burns, missing pieces and now one less thumb. And yet, he emanated a feeling of bliss that...was somewhat respectable if one considered the end of frustration bliss.
With her trophy in hand, Draupadi began to reattach the piece, noting with satisfaction that it was compatible with the rest of her hardware.
'Man...Being stuck in a mechanical body does have his perk.' She grinned. 'Thank Krishna; I will use it well this time.'
As she reattached the appropriated limb, she felt Fefnir stir and snake both arms around her waist, his hands resting on the side of her codpiece.
She looked at the very durable M-model; he was giving one of those self-satisfied smiles, heavy with implication and affection.
"So...that was the awakened Zero, huh?" He lazily drawled as he drew circles on Draupadi's hips. "Wow...that's...You're amazing, babe."
Draupadi simply smiled as she averted her eyes, using her newly acquired thumb to escape from Fefnir's smouldering gaze.
"So...you free tonight?" He asked. "I got this one movie..." He purred. "It's all hand-painted and beautiful, it's-"
"This will depend if X needs me...and I am busy at night." She admitted, letting Fefnir enjoy holding her tenderly.
Realistically, the time were X would rest and clean his disk was the time Draupadi would type. She was now proofreading the Bhagavad-Gita. And soon, she would start working on the Krishna book and the Teaching of Lord Chaitanya.
"Yeah...Bet X really missed you." The firefighter's smile fell, becoming a very bitter grimace. But still not removing his hands from Draupadi's exoskeleton.
"He did...and he wishes to learn about bhakti." She informed her new favourite sparring partner. "I may let you play with me, Fefnir, but know that my Priorities will always be my Guru's orders...and X's well-being." She gently declared as she got up from the affectionate war general, helping him up.
"Yeah...Lucky man." Fefnir grumbled, and Draupadi could feel the envy in his heart-stirring.
'Nope...not having that here.' She roughly pulled him down and planted a kiss on his lips.
It was all it took before Fefnir encircled her in his powerful yet damaged arms and deepened it. Making the Vaishnavi see stars...
Some very dim stars.
When they separated, Draupadi did her best to smile. "You are, Aren't you?"
'Oh God...please let me end my mission quickly so that I may leave this pile of bolts behind.' She prayed...
"You're really willing to do anything for peace, aren't you?" Fefnir asked his smile now a frown. "You know...that's a very dangerous leash, babe." He warned, his thumb playing on the side of Draupadi's jaw.
For his right hand, obliviously.
"I know...But...I've lived through fifty-eight years of contents wars... I'm willing to do anything to keep my husband happy, even if it means I'll have to go to hell." she softly declared, leaning into the taller unit's hand. Seeking comfort.
She had seen her Xiu Ying break bit's by painful bits, and she had personally seen his subtle body.
Nothing in the world could describe its horrific condition saved that...a few months more, and her dear Echo would have been catatonic.
Fefnir stared at her, his emotions unreadable. "You... you're willing to go that far for him?" he asked, his blazing red eyes wide in astonishment.
"I do..." she nodded.
"You know...that's dangerous." He reiterated his warning. " We could all easily exploit you."
"I know."
"And if X were to find out..."
"I know Fefnir...I went through all of those arguments a hundred times... and even my ultimate failure will have a better result than not doing anything."
X may hate her, reject her, throw her out or even kill her...but at least, for the time being, and until he would discover Draupadi's...affairs, then Echo would be at peace and better situated. Meaning his spiritual practice would be unhindered.
Fefnir brought her closer. "Damn it... Master X is so lucky to have a wife like you."
"I'm not sure...and technically, he may be my husband, but I'm your maidservant," Draupadi informed the fire general of this fact. "You may do whatever you desire of me."
Those words tasted like ashes to her tongue... But better this then...
'INCOMING!' The missile struck the side of refugee camp... thousand dies that day and X...
The silence in the beautiful environment bellows the loud grinding of gears in Fefnir's mind. and soothed Draupadi's returning fear.
'Maybe...Maybe he'll reconsider? Oh, that would be an amazing development, Krishna. At least to have one General fighting his lust...one who was self-control-' He careful jubilation was shattered when she felt Fefnir lips (and fangs.) crushed hers. 'Why do I even...'
When he pulled back some undetermined amount of time later, Fefnir had a lashiviousous smile as uncheckable mirth and desired burned in his coal-loke eyes. "Heh heh heh... Alright, maid." he swiftly slid his arms under Draupadi's legs and lifted her like a bride. " Your gonna come with me back at my shake, imma patch you up real good...and after that, movie time!"
She hoped X felt the same way as Fefnir right now, for the commander of the scorched earth squadron looked as if he had discovered the rain making Mantra.
'Huh...Fefnir's awfully happy right now.' X observed from the passive connection he had with his guardians, a connection that seemed to ignore whatever radio scrambler the clinic had.
"Well..everything is in the green, saved from some lingering fatigue. And that missing chip." Doctor Cinnamon informed the retired ruler of Neo-Arcadia. "What you need is rest, a few hobbies and not being hack..."
"Yes, this sounds like a good idea," X said as the very professional doctor unplugged him from the diagnosis machine. While she was hiding it, it was clear the blond doctor was troubled with her find. "Doctor...is everything alright?"
The deceptively competent doctor took a good look at X...and then sighed.
"Well, personally, I have to informed the lore keeper that...Zero is a she, she has returned and is not what we thought she was... and that, yes, she had indeed been on TV and thus, whatever she have said had to be applied...Hare Krishna," She uttered as she got up, her palms folded and her whole body shaking. " Now, if you excuse me, I need to go and informed our other lore keepers and hunters that X is not to be eliminated on sight."
"Oh? The hunters are still actives?" The second oldest hunter asked, a small smile on his lips.
Cinnamon nodded as she sat back at her desk. "Yes...They never really stopped protecting us...even after the last exile." Cinnamon spoke with gratitude.
A genuine smile drew itself on X's face. Proud at how, despite everything that had happened, the Hunters of old were still protecting the innocents.
"Now...what will you do with me?" X asked. "I am the greatest maverick at the moment." He admitted. "I know my sins...and I know what will happen to me." He inclined his head.
No, he was not a death seeker anymore; he just knew what happened to those who became irregular.
"Master Hunter Vava has already reviewed your case as we speak." Cinnamon informed the flabbergasted X. "Something I have found in your log was plenty of tempering ranging from sloppy to subtle. We do not forgive you because it was not your fault; we're forgiving you because it's clear somebody had a hand in your descent in madness." She then averted her eyes, folding her palms in reverence. "And since you are Saint Draupadi's divine consort-"
"Excuse me, but there's nothing divine about me." X deadpan. He was completely in accord with calling Draupadi a gift from God and a saint...since she knew Him by name and where he lived. But him? Mega Man X?
No... not at all.
"Well, you may consider yourself the greatest of sinners...and a maverick, but the fact still stands that Zero has chosen you as a husband and would destroy everything if even a single little hair of yours would be accidentally pulled... We may sometimes be reckless, X, but fools, we are not." Doctor cinnamon huffed.
"Yes...I'm sorry...I...I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that Vile's a hunter again." X admitted, last he'd heard from the pseudo maverick, he had been heading to a port-town.
After that... radio silence and no chaos to speak of.
"It's Vava...and he's our Lore keeper, heat hunter and head priest."
X nodded... "Yes...Alright...that made sense. He used to be friend with Zero way back when...he's also...Ah." X sighed as he threw his hands in the air and to his head; he was done trying to make sense of his crazy life. Better he just surrendered to God's will and his saintly wife.
Besides, it made sense that, if he, maverick hunter X, had turned maverick, then, to balance things out, Maverick Vava would be a hunter, the protector of the repressed reploids and a priest.
"Now...Master Vava needs to know." Doctor Cinnamon spoke with great gravity. "What are your reasons to be here, in the reploid slums?"
"Oh, That wasn't my idea." X readily admitted. "It was Andrew, and he wanted to help me find some proper dressed for my Wife, Draupadi-Zero... I thought I told you earlier?"
Cinnamon gave a sweet and apologetic smile. "Yes...you did; I simply wasn't ready to believe you." She informed the demoted head of Neo-Arcadia. "Now...While the Neo-arcadian Hidden Hunters may not trust you...Your divine wife does. You may go, but be aware that at the mere sight of ill intention towards our Divine Mother."
X got up and smiled at Doctor Cinnamon. "Oh, don't worry... I would." He paused, his previous actions robbing him of any assurance he had left. "...You may kill me..." X finished lamely. The sound of his wife's sacred body hitting the far wall still all too clear in his memory.
He felt a hand on his shoulder...and yet, it was not from doctor cinnamon...
"Oh, don't worry; that's just my wife, Marino," Cinnamon revealed with a bright smile. "She's always with me, making sure I'm not in danger with my patients. And she is also sworn to secrecy."
"Oh...Well, wonderful Job, miss Marino. And if I ever doe something that might displease Draupadi, don't hesitate..." X spoke quite awkwardly, still reeling from learning of Vile's survival and promotion to lore keeper. And an Assassin that should really be working under the aegis of Hidden Phantom.
And the fact that this group was actively worshipping Zero...Draupadi.
'Darn it...why did I have to lock myself up in my tower? I should've faked my death and joined them.' But then... His actions may not have spurred the resistance into finding and reviving Zero... now Draupadi. 'Speaking of which...I wonder how they managed to pull this feat. It's not like any other weak elf can do it. Otherwise, Ciel would not have to...' And then he realized...
Ciel...was not as... She was not to be trusted, but it was clear that X had never been in control of the situation. 'We need to find the new base...I'd rather not let a potential treat remain.'
He chased this notion away... no, Draupadi would not want him to worry more than necessary. Still, he sent another message to Phantom; he would let his vice-emperor take this matter in his hand.
No...not out of cowardice; he simply knew he was not in the right mind to make those big decisions.
His mental ruminations were stopped when he felt Doctor Cinnamon slipping a piece of paper in his hand.
It was a prescription for plenty of rest, fun and relaxing activities and to serve his wife...or else. And the address of a thrift store.
X took the proffered piece of judicious advice and slipped it in his breast pocket...yes, those would be followed.
The thrift store had been easy to find, and it was still open despite the falling sun.
In the human parts of the city, humans would be drinking and enjoying even more social life... and in the reploid slums, it would be light out, save for those deemed necessary businesses. And apparently, this particular store was deemed important.
But at this point, X realized that he had been disconnected from reality long enough that he had to relearn everything, including what reality meant.
Besides, Andrew seemed familiar with the place, just as he had been about the clinic.
When they entered the colourful store, X realized that it was also a library and a cafe. On the front was a sign that warned those that came in that if the owner loved the threads they would wear, he would take it.
X looked down on the very boring neon-accented purple jacket, a pair of blue shorts and some unremarkable flip-flops...
Yes, looking like a rave party reject had been his plans since the last thing he wanted was to be recognized. But it had let him hear about what his citizens had been thinking about the whole broadcast debacle...
Sympathy... only sympathy for him... And as for his Zaki...
well, this was mixed; some praised her for her coming out, other condemned her for chickening out and trying to fit what society wanted her to be and not be what she (read, he) really desired, while other praised the way she dealt with X's mental meltdown while other were talking about the weird marks that covered her body.
And many more condemned X... And X was perfectly fine with that.
And then there were those who, with folded palms, fervently chanted the Maha-Mantra in their apartment. Some looked at the top of the ivory tower with reverence, while others X could only hear.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare, Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
A small smile dared the light of X's face...this was definitely better than expected.
Nevertheless, he had a mission to perform; find a proper Dress for his Draupadi.
He still remembered the first time he had seen his Zero in a skirt. He had been cleaning their shared flat, signing 'my sweet lord.' by memory. It still gave him a splitting headache, but as the cross-dressing reploid had explained, the choir was giving him solace...
After some research, X had discovered that this song was sung by an ancient personality by the name of George Harrison, a very famous man...but his works had been lost to time, and somehow or other, his Zero, the ever culturally challenged red ripper, just happened to know one of greatest hit of the time.
Not only that... But Zero, in his red mini-skirt, his ponytail higher and tied with a green ribbon and a broom in hands had triggered some unexplained nostalgia in the Blue Bomber. A faint memory of a little blond girl with ice blue eyes and a red and black dress.
And truth be told...some time, the way Zero would smile at X reminded him of this mysterious girl with the book.
This girl, no older than nine, from the look of it..., had been X's first love...
It was shameful. Disgusting to no end... and yet...
the way she would look at him, the way she would sing to him while his body was being built. The way she would gaze at him... the desires that lingered there.
He had more memories of her than of his father. The man would smile and talk to his latest creation. He looked tired and...sad. And yet, there was a determination that glowed in his eyes...a determination he had passed on to his final son.
He only saw this man... once... maybe twice. But this mysterious girl...
Oh, he was her so often... Her name... he could not remember.
This mysterious young girl...was dead and gone by the time X had been found by doctor Cain. She hopefully had a long life, found love and had many children...and hopefully survived world war three...
X sighed...no use bringing the dead back from their graves; He had his Draupadi now... And she was more than just a mere crush; she was his very life.
And for his returned life, X would comb the entire hybrid store to find the perfect dress for her, taking from memory images of what an Indien queen would wear.
In his peripheral vision, X noticed that Andrew was looking at necklaces. Mostly the one made with fake pearls and other such trinkets. At the counter was a bored-looking goth woman that would be the definition of Monochrome; she was reading a book...
It was one of X's memoirs about Zero...
He turned his attention back to the rack of colourful clothing and accessories, trying to find something that would suit his Pure-Draupadi taste better than the latest fashion.
He could not help but smile... His Zaki always liked antics and old period clothes. 'You never change.' He thought with deep fondness.
Despite everything that had happened, which included a fifty-year gap in her memory and joining a cult in cyberspace, his Zero was still his Zero...
As he moved away from a very ugly-looking sweeter, X had to pause that this thought...
Was Zero really his Zero?
After a moment of mulling it over, X came to a startling conclusion...
Zero... was not Zero anymore. Not that it was a different person, as proven by her memory and different quirks. But X's Zero would not have let X practically destroy his frame in his madness; Zero would not have been so gentle and so nurturing. Zero would not have been that sensitive and...
X was sure at least one of his guardians would be dead at his hands... and so would he.
Oh...And Zero was not into God very much, having cursed his name until he completely turned his back to Him...At least before the Eurasia crash and his subsequent recovery.
Actually... Zero had started to change after that... no, not just the fact that he was quieter, he was inquisitive about esoteric matters like the nature of the soul, the goal of life and other such philosophical question a reploid should not ask. He had even found a bible, of all books.
But, after studying it for a month, he had thrown it away, saying that he could not find what he was looking for in it.
X still had this bible... and he had to admit, it may have been the reason why he began to see the pain he got from that chip to be the sins of the damn made manifest. His cross to bear.
After a moment, X concluded that the old Zero, the one that had left him, was dead, the red ripper, the first maverick and the lovely Lorelei were all gone. Only Draupadi was left...
And Draupadi Devi Dasi had all the best of Zero's qualities without his flaws. It was as if... his life-long companion and lover had been smelted over and over again, polished and refined until he had a God-loving, dedicated and sensitive wife who could and would destroy whatever happen to look at X the wrong way.
He wasn't sure about the wife part...but then, This had been Lorelei's favourite role play.
Not only that, But Draupadi had all the reasons in the world to leave him.
He had turned maverick, had taken the cower way out and had attempted to take his own life... and when that failed, he had looked himself at the very top of his accursed golden cage.
This... was another reason why he could never repay his Draupadi... She was too good for him.
He kept going through the racks, picking cloth he tough would look good on Draupadi, pushing away at his dark and literally painful past. It was done, it was over, he had made mistakes, and he had made a few good choices here and there... he had a brighter future to look forward to, but he would rather stay in the glorious present.
'Hmm...Speaking of presents, maybe I should get Zaki some jewellery? She deserves gold, tough... I don't think they have that.' He rubbed his chin as he found some very ornamented pieces of... plastic.
He pursed his lips.
"Let me guess... your not finding what you are looking for." A somewhat deep and rather snobbish voice floated in. And X turned around to face the intruder.
It was a reploid; he was this very pale blond hair curled at the top and fell in a small cascade in the middle of his forehead.
He wore a white buttoned shirt with a...decorative strap of some sort. And a pair of crisp ironed pants...
And heels... he wore high heels.
He had bright blue eyes, a very generic face, and looked at X from up his finely sculpted nose.
'He must be working here.' X observed. It was clear he knew the store.
"No... I'm looking for some jewellery for my...wife." he stumbles on the word. Sure, Zaki called herself as such..., but to X, she was more, much more than that.
"And let me guess...Mere plastic is not good enough for her." The reploid stated. This caused X to let out a laugh.
"Oh no... She deserves better than some fake baubles; she deserves gold..." And then he paused... "No, She deserves the world, Starting by Neo-Arcadia..."
"Oh ho! She must be quite a rare catch." The reploid spoke with clear appreciation. "It is rare to find such woman nowadays...and what to speak of a man. Now, is she a reploid or a human?"
"Reploid...like me."
"Ah! I see. I don't remember seeing you around. Are you a new build, perhaps? What's your designation and duty, my friend?" The friendly store clerk asked. "Mine is TK30; I'm the clerk and general book holder of this establishment. We don't have a name, we do have some fame, and you... have the most amazing hoody I've seen in my life." TK declared.
"Oh ah... thanks." The last thing he wanted was for this particular blond to take his vest. "I'm Max." He greeted. "I'm... new around there part... Like... a few months now and... custom build. My dear wife is the same."
Well... He had been in Neo-Arcadia for well over a century... but he had never really been in his city.
TK's eyes softened. "Oh... A new build. When were you manufactured? I'm from a recent batch... and almost decommissioned a few times too."
Yes... X knew about the TK-00 line and their faith. He was actually surprised to see one of those unfortunate unite still active.
"I was manufactured on the 28 of April." this was the first time he had heard the Maha-Mantra, and he considered this his rebirth..., and it also happened to coincide with his actual activation date... three centuries ago.
TK's bright blue eyes widen. "Oh my! You are indeed rather new. And you already have a wife, you lucky Dog, you!" The blond gave a sporting punch on X's shoulder. "Now come, let us find some fine trinkets for your beloved... and some things for yourself also."
And with that, TK dragged the Master of Neo-Arcadia further into the bowels of the thrift store... right under the approving gaze of Vava.
Back at Fefnir's pad, the red copy of Master X experienced the bliss of cuddling up to Zero and watching his favourite movie. His body still had quite a lot to fix, so the glorious pain she had bestowed on the fire general was not about to fade anytime soon.
She was curled up to his left side, wearing a pair of baggy, dirt-stained jeans and an oversized T-Shirt. On her lovely neck were two sets of wooden beads... something that had just appeared out of nowhere.
One was thin and delicate. It was wrapped three times around her equally delicate neck. The other was much bigger and had a red teasel at the end of it. The beads had this very natural look to them, and they were all well worn. Draupadi kept lovingly rubbing them with the pad of her right thumb, and Fefnir could detect a slight Murmur from her lips.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
'She still chanting this same prayer...' The Fire guardien realized. He knew this particular movie by heart... he knew what the next part was. What was new tough was the lovely minx by his side.
She was gorgeous. Gorgeous from afar and as a man (Not that Zero was no drop-dead handsome upfront and personal too,) But now, even more so up close, personal, and as a lovely woman...
It felt right, a dream come true, a fantasy made manifest and yet...
'She's X's wife... or...Maybe not, but she'd clearly more into him than me.' Even he could notice that.
His frown deepened... She and X, it was clear those two had centuries' worth of histories together; those two were practically one in body and mind. The only reason why she was even touching him was only because of fear.
The fearless Zero, the reploid who had stared at Death right in the eye with glee on a daily basis... was afraid.
He...She was afraid of causing more wars and conflicts, and she was willing to prostitute herself if it means less bloodshed...
All for X's sake.
Fefnir held the hero closer; despite her foraminous strength and sheer destructive ability, Draupadi-Zero was one of the most vulnerable person in the Neo-Arcadia tower...
And she was in this position willingly.
"Hey...Babe?" He felt Draupadi freeze a bit.
"Yes?"
"If you ever need a break... you can always crash on my couch." He offered. "And... I can make you a small cottage hidden from view. Know this small meadow I made a decade back, and it's quiet, hidden and-"
"What do you want?" The lovely red ripper asked.
"I just want you...to be happy," Fefnir admitted. "Listen, I think you're the hottest thing since I was made. You're perfect in every way and... hot damn, That last fight I had with you just brought me back to life faster than a deluxe E-tank." He admitted with a grin. "Your... Your the best thing that happened to X...to us is a long while and...I know I am babbling, but... I...I want-" But he couldn't finish his phrase, for Draupadi had covered his lips with her forefinger.
"If you want to make me happy, then Worship Krishna, chant His holy name and be happy." She smiled as she settled again by his side.
"That's it? You don't want anything else?" he asked, desperate to give something to this amazing woman.
"No..." She answered as she cuddled with him.
"...Do you... You know you don't have to act all lovey-dovey with me... you can leave if you want. I won't get mad..." While he loved to have her at his side, Fefnir also didn't want to force Draupadi.
He...could deal with frustration, he could deal with the raging heat of his unfulfilled passion, he was used to it!
Draupadi caught his glance and deeply looked into his eyes, making the fire guardien shudder.
He could see the virus dance in its micro etching. The apocalypse was practically in his laps, and he loved it!
"Fefnir... does your lust burn?" The world's most dangerous minx purred to his audio. "Do you want me? Do you want to feel like God?"
He swallowed thickly... "Yes, but!" He quickly yelped. "I... It doesn't feel right, not behind my master's back... He... Master X should be... He should the one tasting your lips...not me." he admitted.
"And if he does... will you feel jealous?" She pointedly asked; gone was the seductress... it was something heavier that spoke through her lips, something greater than what Fefnir was perceiving.
He lowered his eyes and clenched his jaws...
Draupadi was perfect... and Fefnir knew he was not such a man... he was not as great as Master X.
"I'll get over it... now keep chanting, I like your voice." Fefnir ended the conversation, unwilling to let Draupadi sacrifice herself for a man she didn't even like. And he knew the consequence of what she was willing to do with him would be even more devastating than a war for X. "Just... don't push yourself with me... do what you want, I don't mind."
A certain look passed over Draupadi's handsome and sweet face... it was a look of overflowing love and gratitude.
It... honestly took the fighter by complete surprise, especially the love part.
She planted a very chaste kiss on his lips and scooted a bit further away from him, practically curling around her wooden beads as she began to chant aloud with a blissfully smile on her glorious lips.
Fefnir lowered the volume... and closed the darn thing. He knew the story of Elzeard Bouffier by heart, the same with his feat of reforestation. But what Draupadi was doing was new; it was fresh and...
It fixed something in his heart...it was calling him, and no, it was not just Because Draupadi-Zero was a damn fine specimen or because she truly was X's guardien and whatnot. But because he had never seen one so happy before.
They were in the middle of a desert; they had to control the human population to prevent them from overeating whatever foodgrain, territory and dangerous artifact was available. Most of the land was irradiated, and nothing would grow, even with all of his knowledge.
Everything was going to hell, and Yet...
Draupadi gave Fefnir something he never had...
Hope. Real, substantial hope.
Eventually... Fefnir began to chant with Draupadi...and the bliss they shared by this innocent act defeated whatever pleasure the world of matter could offer.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Up on the Ivory tower, Harpuia scanned the weather... his antennas twitching and swivelling in the auspicious winds.
Eventually, he reopened his eyes, and he let his mouth fall open...
"No...this can't be... this... It can't be..." He dismissed his find...
They were in the middle of a desert; no rain had even fallen there for centuries. Besides, he had some better thing to do... like finally reading the report about a mass reploid grave in the middle of the desert.
To those who miss Janitor-Bot... They are posting in now.
Also, Janitor-Bot, if you do happen to read this, welcome to. Finally, a quality writer to quench our thirsts.
By the way, look up Manu Dei's work; he's also an exceptional writer here.
