Karuna Virus 15

The morning sun once again rose on the scorched land that surrounded Neo-Arcadia. Outside of the walls, the few raiders and reploid bandits still in function returned to their hideout.

Inside the wall and the Eden dome, people were waking up...and others went to bed.

X... had already been awake for a good three hours, following his Lover's example.

He had woken up at four in the morning and bathed (since the thrift store was also a food outlet and a human dwelling, Genevieve had access to a certain amount of pure water. X had taken just a bucket worth, nothing more.) he began to meditate as his precious Draupadi had shown him.

He chanted Hare Krishna loud enough for him to hear but low enough not to wake his hosts up.

He was not in the neo-Arcadia tower, for he had made a good friend with TK30 and his owner (girlfriend) Genevieve, the albino woman who owned the thrift store.

The flat above their store was decorated with a happy mix between skulls, doilies, macrame and coffins with plenty of plant life, Kitschy decor and a hairless cat...

How they managed to find an animal was something X would leave up to Krishna to know. But yes, Genevieve also had a white hairless cat by the name of... Zero.

He at first thought they must be some more Zero-cultist, but after the movie they had watched about the king of Halloween trying to take over Christmas, he realized they had named the cat after jack skelington's ghost dog.

The cat was rather affectionate for how ugly he looked. And he had slept with X the entire night, curling into a ball beside his head. And he had curled up on his lap as X chanted the Maha-mantra lower than what a human could hear.

Zero the cat seemed to like it, for he had his wrinkly head on X's chest and had then proceeded to turn into a miniature gas engine.

X never had a cat purr on him... and he had to admit, the vibration was extremely soothing and... trance-inducing. In no time at all, his rounds were chanted, his mind was clear, and he was ready and willing to face whatever this day would send him!

Yes, even a repeat of yesterday.

He paused... Yesterday... he had never felt so weak and useless in his life while now... He was practically floating.

He had made two new friends, experienced the reploids nightlife, and, since Genevieve and TK thought he had no dwelling, had stayed in their shared flat.

On top of that, three out of four of his guardians were happy and satisfied. He didn't pry in the why..that was the fact, and X didn't need to know more... for he had a clue.

There was still this paranoia that kept whispering to him that this bliss would not last and that soon enough, another evil would rise, and Draupadi and everything else he held dear would be cruelly taken from him.

It was another reason for him to take advantage of whatever peace he had to...

'Enjoy... I want to enjoy it but... Should I?' He wondered.

Draupadi told him that everyone wanted to enjoy, to seek pleasure, for this was the nature of the soul. And the greatest pleasure the soul could experience was the sweet exchange of divine love.

But... since they had chosen to love something other than the endless ocean of love called Krishna, those burning souls were looking to fill a void with mater, for not many could find the sustainable love they desired.

Well... X did, for he could live in a soggy cart-board box, as long as he had Draupadi-Zero with him, no palace could compare to it, especially now. But as he had realized, this love they shared was also imperfect, for, as his dearest wife had told him, it was only until death would pull them apart.

She also told him that to enjoy this world of mater meant that one would exploit others, and this exploitation was sadly and commonly mistaken for love, but truly, the ever destructive lust had turned the world into a desert. Burning everything to asked in the fire of rampant consumerism, racial fight and the quest for economic development.

Thankfully, Draupadi-Zero had the cure for that; the Divya-Varnashrama-Dharma, the revealed scriptures and the Harinama Sankirtana of the Lord.

And he, X, would assist her in her divine mission in any way He could...like taking care of his mental well-being and not being yet another burden on her already overloaded shoulders.

And yet... he could not help but... enjoy it, he was enjoying himself despite his divine sempai telling him not to look for pleasure.

As he petted Zero... the Cat, He began to meditate on this perplexity.

And then... He remembered something Draupadi had told him while in the wind shower.

Krishna-Consciousnesses was not self-torture. Those who practice it, as the previous Acharia, Srila-Prabhupada, had said, that being a Gaudiya-Vaishnava meant that they were the biggest sense gratifier than even the most lustful atheist.

Draupadi had then explained that the reason why it was so was quite simple; They were pleasing their spiritual sense by pleasing Krishna's senses, and Krishna, being ever so grateful, would shower them with more bliss than they would know what to do with.

And this bliss was unasked, For the devotee's only desires were to see their beloved Lord happy and satisfied.

And... it made sense! Since the Lord was the source of all living entities and the supreme maintainer, he could easily care for all of them. Not only that, but all food offered for Krishna's pleasure would then be given to the general populace, and if one wanted to have the best for the Lord, and they had to maintain the land, its inhabitants. Jobs would be created... and not only that but one of the most integral parts of serving Krishna was through singing, dancing, eating Prasadam and telling his pastime, making plays and...

Basically, everything could be offered to the lord, and because it was offered to the Lord, then it would be the best quality possible. And since not all would take to Krishna's eternal service, then protection would be needed. Meaning those who were willing and able to fight for Krishna could do so! And thus, God's properties, cows and servants would be expertly protected.

He could just see how harmonious and stable a God-center society could be... a society based on divine love and compassion yet tempered with ancient rules and sane logic, God-given laws and philosophy. It was not ruled by fanatics who thought themselves the only chosen by God, but by saintly persons with genuine love and compassion for all.

And this, As Draupadi had revealed, was feasible... and it used to be like this before world war three decimated the planet.

Still, it could still be achieved despite the absolute mess the world was in right now gave X something he never had for centuries; Real, solid hope that was not based on some failable theories... and he had his Zero to thank for.

X smiled as he petted the hairless cat... and it was because of her that he was in his present situation.

Yesterday, He and Andrew went on an adventure to Get Draupadi some better cloth; on the way, the wily old model (HAH!) had tricked the blue bomber to get a checkup by a Zero Cultist. (He would need to contact Vava, he and Draupadi had much to talk about.) and finally had found the one hybrid thrift store that was open at this time of night and made friend with the owner's boyfriend, one of the TK line of data-crunching clerk who had lasted but two years... thank a certain TK31.

His new friend had then dragged what he thought was a new build to the second floor after some time dancing in a club... and reminding X why he hated such place. And since it was late enough, but none were tired enough to call it a night, he and his girlfriend had fired up an ancient stop motion musical.

And then X mett to meet and pet his first organic creature since his time with Gregory Cain.

He... He felt alive! Like... he would feel more alive if he would have shared this amazing and absolutely mundane adventure with his wife, but still!

For the first time in two centuries, X... didn't feel like X. He felt... As close to himself as possible.

Now... He was Max. A newbuild that had almost been decommissioned and who was wandering the streets looking for a purpose... and who already had a wife.

Well...he was made to be with a secondary unit, and this secondary unit just so happens to be the most amazing woman in exitance.

He was not the master of Neo-Arcadia; he was not the failed emperor; he was not the mass murderer X...

He was Max...

And it felt great!

Eventually, he heard some sound coming from Genevieve and TK's bedroom... Some...

Sounds.

He closed his eyes, it seemed his host had forgotten about him. "Well, Zero... what do you think I should do?" he asked the cat, who was keenly listening to the sound of her master and her companion...

Having some morning fun...

The cat remained still for two seconds... and then jumped off Max's lap and to the door to the balcony, meowing and pawing at it with the same desperation as a man stuck in a burning would to the emergency exit door.

"Yeah... sounds like a good idea, buddy." Max wholeheartedly agreed, rising from his pillow and making his way to the backdoor. Opening the lock with ease and escaping the sound with his new compatriot.

Once outside, in the plant-filled courtyard, the artificial breeze blew softly, playing with X's lock of hair. The morning sun greeted the Emperor with its softened rays dancing in the centennial trees, and the sound of the radio and birds met his ears.

He leaned on the fence that surrounded the balcony and took a deep breath in...

Oh... how he missed this, how much did he missed the sun, the greenery and the sound of a simple life away from political intrigue and corruption. 'God... O, Krishna. Thank you... Thank you for sending my Draupadi back to me; thank you for giving me this opportunity to not be X for a little while...You, You didn't have to.' Once again, Max's appreciation for the Lord grew.

It was Miracle, of this he was sure.

The cat, Zero, hopped on the railing and began rubbing its wrinkly head on Max's face, purring like a happy generator. The father of all reploid took the ugly little beast in his arms as he began scratching his chin and neck.

"Ah... another Zero to love. Aren't you Zero? Uh? Are you gonna make me give up my wife for your big green eyes? Are you gonna? Are you gonna? God, I wish I could just kidnap you and bring you back to the tower; we need more life there." He began to speak to the cat in the dumbest cutesy tone he could, not caring if anyone would hear him. " yeah, I'mma gonna cat-nap you on account of your rabid cuteness you absolutely disgustingly adorable beast!"

He paused. "How did they even managed to get a hairless cat? Were did they managed to find you, Zeze? Eh? Is there a breeder somewhere? Of God, I hope note... Breeders are terrible people. Last I head anyway."

The cat 'merped'.

"Oh! Really?"

More meowing.

"Ah! Yes, yes, I see! So you came down from a rocket ship!" X began, he knew it was a rather silly conversation, but by God, he could not remember the last time he had goofed off, Had a good laugh, got some sunshine and fresh air...

Live, Basically...

He hugged Zero closer; while he would not replace his wife, the cat was loving enough...

He could not help the tears fell... He was alive; he had another goal... a goal other than the foolish endeavour to protect humans...

'No... I wasn't protecting any humans; I was just saving a bunch of dead bodies... and I became as good as them.' But now... now, he had the way to save everyone and to make them all happy. Truly happy.

Just like how he was happy at the moment.

And this Happiness was only possible due to one Draupadi Devi Dasi, Nee Zero. Taken away by providence and returned like the gift of God, she was to the lowly and miserable creatures of Neo-Arcadia.

Oh... And X.

He closed his eyes, his chest swelling at his amazing fortune. And he quite spontaneously began to sing, still with the cat in his arms.

"~Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare~

~Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare~

It started slowly and quietly, and the more he sang, the more light grew in his heart. He was signing to the Lord of Draupadi... to thank him for everything.

'Oh my Lord, oh Sri-Krishna... Thank you. Thank you so much... I know you exist, I know it was you; otherwise, how could my Zero return to me... not as an amnesiac but as a happy soul?'

'You have given me the world; let me give you whatever else I have!' He prayed as he let his voice rise, dropping the cat as he raised his hands to the sky, dancing and swaying to the tune his beloved would usually sing.

An indescribable amount of joy filled his heart; tears filled his eyes, the darkness that had plagued his heart yesterday fled far away from him.

He spun, skipped, belted out the Name and forgot all about the time and his surrounding.

He felt free... free from his accursed designation, free from his role as the puppet emperor... free from his sin.

He was so absorbed in the glorious Harinama that Max did not notice that his dancing and chanting had gathered a small crowd. That is until Andrew joined in.

If Max had been blissful before, his joy now reached a height never experienced before.

Eventually, he had to stop, for he had managed to catch someone calling the police over a noise complaint. As warned by Hidden Phantom.

'Ah... too bad.'

Then... he finally realized who was with him.

The aforementioned Andrew, who was still glowing with joy, Phantom, Dressed as a civilian and his two hosts.

They were all looking at X, and most were smiling.

"Oh... Ah, sorry I woke you up." He apologized to Genevieve and TK, who were staring at him as if he had grown quite a few heads in the span of...

A whole thirty-three minutes and no spared second.

There was a very awkward silence.

Thankfully, Zero (the cat, not his wife) took this opportunity to Jump on X's arms again. Rubbing himself against the... incumbent emperor with the same affection Draupadi had for him.

'yeah... I'm missing my wife.' No way a mere cat could replace her.

He had tried...

Instead, he turned to Andrew as if he was not holding a hairless cat in his arm like a baby. "Hey, Andrew! Ha... Good morning!"

Andrew chuckled. "Good morning to you too, Max. Made some new friends last night?" The 'old man' asked with a knowing smile.

"Yes, I made a few," Max admitted with an easy smile. "This is Genevieve and her Reploid boyfriend, TK." He gestured to his hosts. "Oh, By the way. I'm sorry I... May have gotten a bit loud." He apologized.

Really, they may have been louder.

"You killed the mood," Genevieve informed the reploid in purple. "I lost it...I was so close. "

It was clear she was upset by this fact, not that X had the heart to care.

"Hmm... I see. It's a pleasure, Genevieve, TK." The reploid in saffron inclined his head as he returned his attention to X. "And who's that in your arms?" he asked as he approached the cuddly beast.

"Oh! This is Zero... no relation with m... with the red legend." He informed his friend as he scratched the hairless cat's chin. "Oh, by the way... how did you manage to find a hairless cat in Neo-Arcadia?" he turned to the cat's two personal servants.

This safe and absolutely banal question seemed to stir TK into action. "Oh... Right, cats are everywhere in Neo-Arcadia. So are birds, rats, and plenty of other creatures explorers have managed to bring back are all thriving here." the reploid informed the shocked master of Neo-Arcadia. "As for why Zero is hairless... he was born like that."

"He's one in a million," Genevieve interjected as she moved closer to X, scratching Zero's wrinkly head. " I heard that this type of mutation first appeared in one cat born from a normal mother..." She mentioned. "They had an entirely new species with those aberrant genetics... but that's not what we'll do." A slight smile tugged at her unpainted lips.

Really, under the makeups, they looked rather thin and... pale.

"I see... so he's just like m... Master X then." X murmured as he Gazed at the cat... the first of his race.

He hugged the beast closer...


Meanwhile, at the ivory tower, a stand-off was currently in effect.

The three remaining guardians were baring Draupadi's route. Harpuia had both of his blades out, Leviathan lazily held her ice spear, and Fefnir stood behind them... looking bored out of his mind and extremely apologetic over the whole thing.

[Sorry, babe... I don't think our Master Hunting date will fly far.] he apologized over private com.

Draupadi grumbled... X had been gone for the entire night, and he had closed his radio. And after the hell of a day he had yesterday...

"Oh, Krishna... Please protect my Husband... please... please don't let him make this terrible mistake.' She prayed as she externally maintained her battle stance, raining in her hyper-active battle routine, for she knew X would not be happy would she beat up Harpuia. No matter how good it would feel.

The Jury was still undecided for Leviathan tough, for it was clear she, like her red brother, had a thing for pain.

"I will not let you out of this tower on your feet, maverick!" Harpuia declared... spat, really.

"So... if one of you were to carry me, then I could go and look for my Husband?" She innocently yet mildly impatiently asked, giving a conspiratorial glance at her two...

Let's call them as close to friends as she dared.

Fefnir smirked as he waggled his brows while Leviathan gave a coy mien.

"Harpuia, could you please carry me around town to find our master?" Draupadi asked with as much of a straight face as possible. But with how the three looked at the moment, it was near impossible.

Thank Krishna, she had a mechanical face and thus could keep it as blank and stoic as she could.

'I should not bait him... Harpuia may be an ass... but he's my husband's brother and...' She took a picture; the face he was making was just too good to pass, same with Fefnir and Leviathan. 'Draupadi got in trouble for laughing at Dhuriodhana... and this Draupadi will get into trouble for making fun of Harpuia... Krishna, You'll bail me out, won't you?"

Harpuia sneered and scoffed in disgust. "Let me rephrase that. Maverick Queen, I won't let you out of here alive."

"Alright... But how about X? Did Phantom found him yet? And how about Andrew?" She let some of her anxiety leaks through her voice.

She had already lost Alouette... and she had almost lost X numerous times.

Draupadi knew she had to be detached from matter, from everything in this material world was heading towards ultimate destruction, even her own frame, the virus and the universe itself... until everything started anew again.

And yet...

She was attached to her loving husband, and she felt this burning need, this deep codded urge to serve and care for him... despite everything.

And... as for Alouette?

She was the first one to warm up to her when Ciel brought the amnesiac Zero to the base, and she never treated the red legend any differently than a friend. Not only that, but she, like X, had taken to the path of Bhakti... had Draupadi dearly hope that, despite what she had done to her little friend, and the danger that Bakasura posed to them all, that Alouette would not turn her back to Krishna.

He was the supreme protector, after all, something Draupadi was well aware she wasn't.

"My dear Draupadi, I considered your husband and Alouette very dear to me..."

'Oh... what am I saying? I can't live without Them.' She loudly admitted to herself. She wanted X to be at peace... she wanted him to attain eternal happiness as a servant of Krishna, his eternal constitution. And if it meant she had to sacrifice herself again to ensure that he could practice his Sadhana peacefully, then so be it.

And her dearest Alouette... so young, and facing a maverick all by herself.

"Why should I tell you?" Harpuia challenged as he crossed his arms, his eyes half-lidded. "This is confidential information, Maverick Qu-" She didn't even let him finish his phrase as she manifested the viral tendrils.

"Yes, I am your queen." Draupadi raised her voice more than a little tired of those games and extremely concerned for X. "And as your queen. I command you to let me out to find him less I take over Neo-Arcadia and find force him out myself!"

He was a Vaishnava, dear to Krishna... no one was more precious in the universe than him. And Draupadi knew how hard X could beat himself up over a perceived mistake.

The only rule that protected his well-being was his inability to commit suicide, but as the saint knew, it could be circumnavigated.

"No way in Hell B-MPH!"

"OK, Har, that's quite enough, buddy," Fefnir spoke mildly as he held his brother from the back, his hand clamped on his mouth. " She doesn't want to start a war, and she's as good as one of us."

Harpuia's eyes would have been the same if he were forced to eat anything organic.

"He's right, you know." Leviathan agreed as she sashayed her way beside Draupadi. " Out of all of us, she was the only one who dies for Master X trice and still managed to come back for him." She giggled as she leaned on the Vaishnavi's shoulder, unmindful of the Virus... "And look, the resistance wanted our Master dead, and Draupadi-Zero saved him instead. there are no viral mavericks running around, and she the loveliest woman around." She hugged the Vaishnavi closer and pressed her cheek to hers.

[Di-Zi-Chaaan?] She contacted the Vaishnavi. [Could you please retract your tentacles?] She asked in the poutiest way possible.

[So you may hug me more?]

[Not even a week, and you know me so well.]

[No... you had your cuddles and kisses this morning, don't push your luck.]

[... Did you like it?] Leviathan then asked.

Draupadi remained silent, knowing that her answer would be easily misunderstood.

[Di-Zi?]

[It wasn't bad... I did like it but, I had better.] She awkwardly admitted, trying not to hit Leviathan upside the head for bringing the subject up in such a stressful time.

[So... you didn't like it? I tough you danced well with me.]

[At least you liked it.] The Vaishnavi had already tasted something sweeter. And not as freezing cold as Leviathan's mouth...

Would she still be human, her tongue would have frozen off.

[Hmm... I see. Well, we can try something else tomorrow... we have all the time in the world, you know.]

Draupadi gave an unseen cringe as she retracted the virus and returned her attention to Harpuia and Fefnir.

"Nope, I'm not letting you out until you promise not to antagonize Draupadi-Zero anymore," Fefnir told his brother, still keeping him in a headlock despite Harpuia's best attempt to get free. "Dude, she's holding Each and every single reploids sanity in her clutch, piss her enough, and Master X will be a master of Four and nothing more, capiche?"

There was a moment of silence as Harpuia tried to kill Draupadi, were she stood with the heat of his hatred.

"Oh, Hari-chan~ do you really think you can burn her with your eyes?" Leviathan dangerously purred. "No one wants to start a fight...it's only you."

"I concur, Harpuia; you've been harassing my Wife the moment she walked in." X's blessed voice floated into Draupadi's parched audio, and indeed, there he was, carrying plenty of cloth bags and...

He was leering at Harpuia with clear disapproval...

It was not the eyes or the frown of a man who had lost his will to fight, It was the eyes of her husband reaching the end of his saintly patience.

Sure... Sigma may have been the bane of their existence, But an Angry X...

Even Sigma feared him... This means the fried mother-bord idiot would always try to rill him up.

The ruler of Neo-Arcadia was in a new set of cloth, a blue vest over a black turtle neck and a pair of dark blue dress pants. His eyes held a shine that reminded the ancient Vaishnavi of the first time they met...

Those eyes... those beautiful green eyes shone with a renewed life and purpose.

And those eyes all but bore a hole in Harpuia's head.

Her Husband dropped the voluminous bags and walked... no, stalked to Harpuia, causing the rest of the guardians to touch the ground with their right knee's, bowing their heads with aw and reverence.

"All glories to Light!"

Immediately, she saw X's face cloud... he never liked being worshipped, preferring to remain in anonymity even after his greatest achievement. Nevertheless, the great commander walked directly to the kneeling Harpuia, looking down at him like the insubordinate he was.

It Gave Draupadi chills.

"General Sage Harpuia... As your commanding officer and ruler of this place, I order you to leave my wife alone and let her do as she pleases!" X ordered.

Harpuia raised his head. "But-"

"Do not test me, Sage!" X snapped. "You have done more than enough Damage... and while I did ask you to... do the needful, Your chosen method made the given argument moot."

"But Master-"

"And how about your team? And that's not-" X closed his eyes as he breathed deeply. "No... Harpuia, I may have turned maverick, but you...all of you should have known better than to let me live, to let me destroy what I spent millennia to build." He turned his attentions to all his guardians.

"You call yourself my guardians, my protector... but you have all failed to realize that your duty, the sacred duty I gave you all those years ago, was to protect all the inhabitants of Neo-arcadia... From me." X said as he let his words dig deep in his four sibling's CPU. "I don't need protection. I managed to survived decades of wars without having to change my frame once. But I also knew that... I was slowly losing it, that I was starting to see every reload as a possible maverick."

A shudder went up Draupadi's Nanite tube. And she once again sent a prayer of thanks to the Lord for protecting her husband despite everything else.

" But you didn't..." X's voice turned sharp. "Instead, you have all followed Harpuia's lead and allowed me to sink deeper in my madness. Killin thousand of Innocent reploids... torturing them in the name of human protection." X practically growled.

"Do you know how many of those reploids had jobs that dealt with medical care? how many were raising orphans and assisted the sick?" X asked. looming like death over Harpuia."

"Those were labelled Maverick!" Harpuia snapped, raising his head. "You Labeled them mavericks!"

X remained silent, still looking at Harpuia as if he was as important as a bug. he closed his eyes. "Yes... I did... And you, my left hand, the one who's supposed to lead if I were to be inadequate, the wise sage of the group still went along, torturing those obliviously innocent men and woman unto death." X's voice turned into a deadly whisper as he leaned closer to Harpuia. " The only reason why I'm not retiring you right now, sage, is because my wife has returned due to your incompetence."

"I will let it slide... For now." The Master of Neo-arcadia conceded as he rose to his full height. "But Keep insulting and insinuating that my wife is a criminal, and I swear." His voice lowered dangerously as he lifted Harpuia's chin so that he may look right at his fiery green eyes. " You will wish Dad never made you... is that clear?" He asked, not releasing Harpuia's jaw.

The green sky General gritted his teeth... Then Draupadi's audio buzzed with some intense radio waves coming from the incense X and Harpuia.

'They're fighting... Oh Krishna... they are fighting over me.' This was not what she wanted... this was not what X needed.

She could already see Harpuia slapping X's hand away and shoving him hard... X's voice rising until he was shouting... the fight... the shots...

Oil spilling... Harpuia leaving...insurrection... another side... A war starting...

Caused by here mere presence...

She felt Leviathan's hands grabbing her's and dragging her away from the conflict; behind them, Fefnir followed.

"That's not for you anymore, Di-Zi... Come, let's go to my room." Leviathan spoke quickly, her voice still shaking from X's outburst.

"Nu-uh, sis... you ain't taking her there," Fefnir argued back. "She doesn't need a pair of Grabby hand."

"And you're any better?" Leviathan snapped back as she whirled to face the fire general.

Draupadi let go of Leviathan as she all but ran back to her writing room... Following the established path, the map gave her...

It was starting... despite her best attempt, a war was starting over her...

She had no idea what to be done... she could not leave... she had nowhere to go, and she could not fake her death, X would find her...

The only thing she could do was write down the holy scriptures and let Krishna do the rest...


Eventually... she heard someone knock at her door. "Zaki? It's me..." X spoke through the intercom, breaking the legendary hero out of her writing streak.

She had just finished the Gita and was well into the Krishna book. After looking at her internal chronometer, the ancient Vaishnavi realized that quite a few hours had passed and that it was well beyond noon.

She felt better... despite the reality that the peace she had lived in was slowly eroding.

Draupadi got up from her spot on the floor and made her way to the door... I glad that her husband looked and acted better, but...

Was he truly as fine and well? Was he really back or... or was it just her being overly optimistic?

'It's the material world... and were in the age of Kali, everything that can go wrong will.' She thought with (what she hope) was detachment.

But she knew it was simply heavy cynicism.

She opened the door, and indeed, X was there in his new casual wear, now noticing the adorable red bow tie adorning his neck.

He looked quite dashing, and it was a welcome change.

She felt him wrapped her smaller frame in his arms... and she leaned into his embrace as he gently rocked her back and forth. Gently running his cool hand down her hair as he bathed her with undeserved affection.

She closed her eyes... knowing that it was not meant to last.


X didn't even need to ask to get in; he led Draupadi back to her workroom and sat her by the recharging station she would use; she had found a cushion big enough to seat two...

The room was barely saved from a sofa cushion and a low coffee table... and the aforementioned pod.

'I need to get her something better... like a proper desk and a proper... Holy... Oh Krishna, what type of computer is that?! It's huge!' X tough as he took stock of his beloved's actual room and what she would use to rewrite the entirety of the revealed scriptures.

He was the one who liked to keep things simple and with a few knick-knacks and decoration. Zero was the one who didn't mind dusting the place, she... they had also installed some carpeting and draperies that were another colour than black.

The ancient hunter could still remember how cozy and homey their shared flat had been. Filled with antiques from a period of time where everything was green and alive... and when there were only a handful of robots and two crazy old-man who didn't know the calamities they were about to unleash.

And the sun-yellow apartment was the perfect backdrop for Lorollei, Zero's female persona. Who she really was despite what everybody else thought.

This... was quite the contrast to Draupadi-Zero.

She kept everything to a bare minimum... and she had practically nothing.

'Right... Who took responsibility for Zero's quarters?' He tried to remember, only to receive a long list of names that returned to Harpuia.

He almost groaned out loud.

"X?" Draupadi lifted her head from X's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Harpuia... and how he treated you." He gritted, no use hiding his discontent at his demoted left-hand man.

"X... It's fine I-" Zaki denied, and X could detect some fear dancing in her violet eyes.

'Why is she...' And then he remembered.

She had run away from possible conflict... and while some would think this was out of character for the Red Hero, X knew otherwise.

Before his dearest sealed herself away and... died in the process. Zero would, for lack of a better word, escape, get out of the room were strife would be and go as far as he could.

And the last time he saw his lover do this was two months before they sealed themselves, dying in the process, right as they received a report about such suspicious activities, For Axl had been insinuating that Zero was... leaking again.

Needless to say, Alia had been less than easy on him, and Axl had sassed back.

And Zero went out of the room, asking X to send what he needed to know.

Three days later, the processed Axl had to be... retired.

He took his saintly beloved in his arms, cradling her hot head to his chest. "Shhhh... It's alright, Zaki... I just needed to put Harpuia back to his place." X informed his Wife as he gently patted her head.

"You... Did you killed him?" She asked as she leaned into X's embrace.

"No... as much as it would tempt me, Harpuia is still needed." No one could replace the General of the Brave Sky, for only he knew how to decipher the ancient coding of the old weather station dotted around the world... those that still worked, that is.

Still, sometimes, the urge to slap Harpuia was overwhelming.

So much to be called Sage, but X now suspected doctor light to have given him the name of the aromatic plant, not the wise man.

He felt his Zaki sighed... "X, you didn't have to rip him a new one over me."

X frowned. "Zaki... Draupadi, He has no right in treating his superior officer like that!"

Draupadi moved away from her husband's chest. "But I'm not his superior!" She vehemently denied it. "I'm still a criminal and-"

"And you have proven your might and skills in infiltration, recon, tactical assault with negligible casualties and maximum Recovery," X stated as he happily brought his delightful wife and Savior to her feet. "You have previously defeated all my generals and their Muto's, and you have shown an amazing amount of self-control."

Draupadi averted her eyes as a dusty pink colour tinged her fair cheeks. "Please... Echo... I'm not that praiseworthy."

"Not that praiseworthy? Not that..." X scoffed. "Zaki, I know what's in you. I know about your main directives... and I know how hard it can be to keep it in check while sparing." He gently caressed the side of her face, coaxing her wonderful amethyst eyes from the golden fortress. "I was about to kill you." He whispered, feeling the tears fall from his eyes. "Nothing would have stopped me..."

"You didn't exactly want to win back then." Draupadi reminded her husband. "Really, I could have utterly destroyed you by your third pass."

"And yet you didn't!" X proudly exclaimed. "I gave you all the reasons in the world to kill me; I gave you all the opportunities... I willingly turned maverick." It was X turned to avert his eyes. "But... You... You went against my expectation and took care of me... With love and care, only you could give."

It was getting harder to speak; his emotions were at his throat. Really, the only thing X could do for this unprecedented mercy was to surrender everything to the Lord... For this... this was all Him.

He didn't deserve a miracle, and yet there she was.

And it was clear his sweet Zaki was also getting emotional. "X... Please I..."

"You were my first guardien... my first protector and..." X let his tears fell as he pressed his forehead to her's, letting their gem touch. . " You... You always saved me, Zaki... my pure one." he covered Draupadi's lips with his. "Even now, you saved me." He embraced the shaking form of his lover.

"I..." Draupadi began to sob on X's shoulder, soaking his blue vest with tears. "I... I'm Sorry... I'm so sorry... I cause you... I hurt you..."

"It's alright... It's alright, Zaki..." X whispered on the top of her head. "You were strong for me for so long... please, let me take care of you. Let me take care of you like you've taken care of me." He rocked his hero, still keeping her in his arms.

Zero was not unbreakable, even if he acted as if. He was a wounded soul, someone who suffered immensely despite his physical strength... And X had always been there for him, just as he had been for him.

And now... it was time for X to finally start repaying her.

Time passed... and finally, Zero's sobs subsided. "I'm so sorry, X... I... I don't think I'll be able to go through yet another war." She admitted with a sigh.

"Understandable... If there's another one of those, let's just bail out, shall we?"

Draupadi scoffed. "Oh, As if you can let your poor, defenceless humans handle their own shitstorms."

X was about to rebuke her when he realized that she was right...

"Ah..." But before he could formulate another comeback, his dearest wife gave him a light peck on his lips. The Zaki leaned onto his chest, practically leaning her own weight onto him.

"What will happen to Harpuia?" She asked.

"Right now, he's under house arrest for his insubordination in the face of a senior officer... and the Empress of Neo-Arcadia."

Draupadi made some noise from the back of her throat.

"I wanted to put him to death but... Whit how things are, it would just make it worst."

"So Harpuia is getting off with a slap on the wrist?"

"If he's smart, it will be enough." X darkly intoned. Praying to the Lord that Sage Harpuia would wear his name like a cape and not be an envious bird brain, blinded by his so-called loyalty. "He will clean up his facility, though. I want it to be spotless for my next project."

Draupadi grunted. "Wait and see then..." She took a deep breath. Simply taking X's presence in.

This... was nice, but X wanted a bit more, especially after his adventure outside the damn tower.

"So... your not asking me why I didn't come home last night?" X asked playfully. "I stay the night out without telling you, and you don't even get mad, Rolly; what happened to you?"

"Ah... well..." She stuttered as her face closed off.

'Oh no' "Draupadi, Did Fefnir hurt you last night?"

"No!" his wife quickly answered. "God no... I'm the one who forced him to use two sub-tank." She admitted. "We... spared and... it's got a bit out of control."

"... How bad is his basement?" X asked with some fear and plenty of amusement.

"It's still beautiful and green... I opened the gate to cyber-hell and gave him the fight he wanted. But otherwise, he was a gentleman." Draupadi explained with a smile.

X let out a sigh... at least he had two guardien he could trust. "Alright... so that's what you did last night."

"Yes... now, how about you?" Draupadi asked with a narrowed eyes and a barely concealed smile. "What's your excuse, X? Where were you? Why did you leave without warning anyone." Draupadi's smile faded as she asked the last part.

Some guilt gnawed at X's heart... He really should have contacted her, especially with how he had crashed after the broadcast... a very effective one, as it turned out.

"I... Andrew practically dragged me out of my bed and out the tower." X admitted. " This man deserves a medal; he did something no aid ever managed to do in a hundred years!"

At those words, Draupadi's eyes widened. "X... you-"

"I'm the oldest Hikkimomori around... and I hope no one will ever break this record." He flatly stated. " Andrew got me out, threw some street clots on and off we went on an adventure!" He narrated as enthusiasm filled his voice.

Draupadi sat down on her cushion as she listened to X's exciting tale of his first outing. Form the states of the streets, the reploids that were there and how humans were mostly talking about her positively.

"... and I couldn't believe my ears when I heard them talk about you. And... there was like a hundred person, man a reploid alike, who were chanting the holy names as you showed them!"

At those words, Draupadi's face light up. "No... you mean my goof made them all chant?!"

"And how!" Enthusiasm entered X's heart. "They love you... Like, they were obliviously afraid that you would start another maverick crisis, but TK told me how after seeing you calm me down for thirty minutes straight and how we joked with one another, it moved people's hearts."

"Really? But... I thought they would... I thought it would diminish your glories." His Zaki whispered, her shame at being exposed as such burning her cheeks a lovely red.

X snorted. "Zaki, after what I did, I have nothing less to lose... save for you." He amended.

"Hey, whose TK?" Draupadi asked instead, diverting her own praise onto another topic.

"Right! So after Andrew dragged me out of my golden cage, he brought me to the reploid ghetto... It's definitely not as bad as it sounds, surprisingly enough." X admitted he himself quite surprise at this development.

Sure, there were some hateful gratifies, but it was not as bad as he had imagined, and from what he had heard from TK and his girlfriend, it was an OK place to live as long as you prove yourself useful.

"... Those reploids who survived the purge were those who had services to humans... important services." the corner of X's mouth quirked up. "The thing is, I never put down the definition of what important service meant, and... a 'friend' of ours made sure it remained as vague as possible, meaning that only around three thousand reploids got retired!"

Only three thousand when the synth population clocked at around seven thousand... it was still a terrifyingly high number... but it could have been infinitely worst too.

'Only three thousand death to have my Zero back... and not as a mere reploid, but a herald of God.' He would do it again.

Draupadi didn't seem too sure about that. "Echo... it's still a bit too genocidal to me." She brought her knee's close to her chest.

X shrugged. "Ah... well, counting all the maverick rebels I destroyed in the past, I'm sure I'm well over five million at this point." He tried to make light of the situation.

... He still felt horrible about it, but the only thing he could do know was to make sure those deaths would not be in vain.

Draupadi scoffed. " Well, you still can't beat Krishna." She began with a smirk. "As time, he destroys everything. And he killed two demons a day over the span of ten years, and please don't get me started on the trillions of deaths he racked up by annihilating Jarasanda's army eighteen times."

'Hey! Here's that's smile.' X noticed with a smile of his own, taking note as to how his beloved would glow at the mere remembrance of God.

"Wow... not even Sigma and Weil Combined could compete with him." X joked as he sat back down beside his wife... that he didn't remember marrying.

Not that he'd cared, he could always have a proper wedding... when they had the time, that is.

"Oh, Pu-lease!" The gorgeous blond who held his heart dramatically scoffed as her smile grew even wider. "Your talking about a couple of conditioned souls trying to be edge-gods. Krishna the sweetest of sweet, the personified mellow of love, spring and the supreme beloved of all and he still racks up a body count higher than anyone else by having a part of his part breath in!"

X laughed at how animated his Zaki became...

"So, what happened after that! Whose TK and why the bags of cloth?" She interrupted the nectarean flow so that X could keep stirring his stew.

'I need to make her speak more about Krishna.' X resolved... not that speaking of his somewhat mundane adventures didn't feel great; hearing about the Lord was just better and sweeter, in his humble opinion.

"Alright... so Andrew brought me to this clinic in the ghetto; he wanted me to have an actual check-up," X admitted, to which Draupadi nodded, gratitude radiating from her being. 'I need to give Andrew an official position... premier caretaker? Official friend? Oh Krishna... I know, prime advisor!' "There, I met with doctor Cinnamon... and learned a bit more about the Zero-Cult... by the way, you're a crucial religious figure here, apparently."

At those words, Draupadi's mouth dropped open. "No... your not serious." She told him flatly.

"I am! There's a cult about you!" X grinned. "I started it as a simple forum for those who adored you... I never expected to see it become a full-blown religion."

The red ripper and popular religious icon groan as she buried her face in her hands. "Oh, Krishna... really?"

X chuckled as he embraced his delightfully flustered wife. "I may not be Krishna, But I can assure you it's very true... and they now have to rewrite their lore to accommodate the fact that you are my wife, a wonderful woman and a Hare Krishna!" He kissed her cheek, causing it to reddened even more.

He was expecting his beloved to answer, only to see her holding back tears as she prayed in gratitude.

"They will chant... they heard me chant, they know I'm Zero." She choked out. "Oh, God! That's... It's a miracle!"

X grinned as he finally saw something other than anxiety dancing in his beloved wife's eyes.

"Yes... A beautiful miracle indeed." He gently kissed her lips as he touched her gem with his. "And after that, Andrew escorted me to this amazing thrift store/ cafe held by a human and her B.O.B."

"No... A B.O.B?" Draupadi's cheek tinted red.

X chuckled as he was transported centuries prior as he told the delightful Lorollei about his days and the humans he met... during the time of peace before the whole Repliforce debacle.

"Yes, his designation is TK31 from the Tron-Kurl line of reploids... I know, we had a crisis, and we would cull the synth yet still manufacture them..."

"X!"

"I know... I need to send Phantom to investigate what it really takes to make a reploid." The resting emperor lost all levity as he realized that something sinister had been going on right under his nose for well over two centuries. "I won't get involved... unless it's something only I can do."

Draupadi remained silent... and then wrapped her arms around his waist and burrowed herself in his neck. Her smiles clear on her lips. "Don't get too involved if you can help it, X... you have better things to do than worrying about this world's unlimited problems."

X grunted as he began Massaging Draupadi's head with his finger, noting how hot she felt to his touch. 'She has been overworking...'

"Anyway, he helped me get you some cloth, and during our quest to find out the best, we became fast friends... well, Max became his friend," X admitted as he tried to move the conversation away from yet another storm.

"Max?"

" Another name... Can't walk around as X anymore." Not that he wanted to be X anyway.

A soft smile drew itself on Draupadi's lips. "Max... Master X..." She chuckled. "I like it."

"You do?"

"Yes... It's a bit better than Xui Ying and Echo." She admitted. "Especially after I blurted out on national television." she blushed.

X... Max shrugged. Taking this name.

"But..." Draupadi began as she hesitated. "I would prefer a Vedic name." She admitted, and it was clear there was more to it than just some personal taste.

"Oh... do you have any ideas?" Max asked, curious to know what his wife desired and hopefully relieving her of the anxiety that plagued her.

Draupadi worried her lips as she took a steadying breath. "I do... but."

"But?"

"But... I don't feel qualified." she breathed out as she let her eyes fell at her unadorned feet.

"What do you mean, not qualified. You are more qualified than me to lead Neo-Arcadia. And I would love to bear the new name you have in mind for me."

"Oh please, you're just kissing my boots now." She scoffed, not impress by X's biased assessment.

'Boot Kissing...speaking of which were does she keep her boots.' X wondered before bringing his wandering mind back at the subject at hand. "Don't tempt me." He smirked, causing his wife to strike his arm with the back of her hand.

She was smiling a bit now... but the smile quickly fell.

"Zaki?" X asked as he held her hands. "If there's anything wrong, don't hesitate to tell me, and I will do everything I can to help you out." Just as his Draupadi did for him.

Draupadi raised her head and caught X's eyes, her virus-filled eyes tired despite the divine light that glowed through them. She vented out, another fragile smile on her lips. "Alright."

X waited, but Draupadi did not elaborate further. Meaning that something was bothering her, but she didn't want to worry X about it.

And X painfully knew that his beloved wife would resist whatever attempt until the very last minute.

'Oh well... that's how she is. Better make sure she'll be stable enough to deal with it then.' There was nothing much X could do but love and support his better side just as she had loved and supported him.

X got up from the couch, taking his ever pure and lovely wife with him. He had some plans today... plans that didn't involve staying cooped up in the damn tower. It was already a bit past noon tough, and he didn't know if Draupadi had taken the E-crystals and the e-tank she deserved today.

"Say... how about we head out?" He asked his beloved. "We haven't been out of a date for centuries."

"I still have plenty to do." She declined. "And I can't leave this place, I'm-"

"As good as me administratively wise." Max close the subject. "Draupadi, when was the last time you went out and had fun outside? Dress as a civilian and not on a mission?"

Draupadi remained silent as she calculated the time and winced. "Sometime before Iris..."

"Yes..." X sighed. "Now... I think it the right time for us to retire from active fighting and just focus on what matters truly." He stated. "And I know you want to finish transferring all those books and Audio, but you won't be of any help if you burn yourself out before the first book is published." He lovingly scolded.

Draupadi puffed her cheeks. "yeah... You're right."

With a smile, X planted another kiss on his beloved's cheek, led her out of the room, and led her to his apartment. Sending to Fefnir and Leviathan the order to improve Draupadi's office into something a God-sent queen deserved.

As for an answer, he received some very enthusiastic and joyful 'on It.' from his two trusted generals.

A smile tugged at X's lips. Three out of four general simply adored Draupadi... meaning it would be easier to serve his divine wife properly. 'I need to... I need to elevate them. Oh Lord, they love your Draupadi so much...'

As he prayed and praised Krishna for the soul that was willing to accompany him, he made his way to their personal quarter; Andrew and Phantom had already unpacked and laid out the cloth he had gotten for the love of his life out for perusal. Happy that he had found TK and his sense of impeccable style.

As he helped his wife dress in her first-ever set of casual cloth since she dated Iris, X could not help but look forward to a wonderful evening with his beloved Zaki.

Things were looking up, life was not great... but not terrible, and he had his goal in life.

'My Lord, I may not be devoted to You. But please let me serve Draupadi until my body fall's into pieces. Nay, for all eternity.'


For his part, Sri-Krishna could only vow to serve this soul who had given himself to his dear devotee.