They finally made their way into the medical ward. The whole floor was into a heavy lockdown as if somebody had brought in a hot maverick. Only X, Zero, Axl and Douglas were allowed in... being immune to the maverick virus.
Yes... Even Douglas. For some obscure reasons.
Inside the ward, numerous computers and tools were strewn about, and in the middle of the room was X..., seemingly sleeping peacefully as energy sphere's intermittently floated out of his body like soap bubbles.
"Argh! Why doesn't it stop!?" Douglas lamented as he practically ripped out his headgear out on its socket. "This doesn't make any sort of sense! Axl! Did you managed to crack X's corrupted language yet?"
At the other side of the room, another Douglas stood in front of the screen. "Nope... I swear that's worst than this weird Hindu writing."
"Sanskrit... It's called Sanskrit." Madan very quietly rectified as he beheld the very familiar bubbled.
Most of them glowed an angry red, indicating incompatible upgrades, while some were either glowing white or blue... meaning superfluous and vital.
How did Madan know of the colour codes of the ancients?
He was friend with Mangalananda... it came with the territory.
But to see those energy-sphere emerging from X's body also had another significance.
He turned his gaze to his friend, who was practically vibrating in place as he beheld the supreme evidence that X truly was an ensouled robot made by the Ancients.
And indeed, a tiny peek in his mind (with the Lord's permission, of course), and it resounded with the unlimited Glories and praise sung to Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna, Gauranga, and their Guru dev for this incredible opportunity to study and learn about the greats artifact left by this ancient civilization.
And plenty of troubleshooting, for mister X was clearly built using the same principle as Lori.
"Douglas, I brought Magolor and Meta Knight." Zero informed the medic. "He should know what happened..." The great knight averted his eyes from the sight of X. His lover...
Once again, Zero thoughts were loud, as if he was constantly broadcasting them telepathically for all to hear.
Madan Narrowed his eyes as Sir Zero's aura darkened even further, blanketing him in response to his anguish.
Mangalananda would do the same sometimes...
Interesting.
Douglas stared at the diminutive Alien. The thing kept staring at X as if the agonizing father of all reploids was a long-lost treasure...
Well... He was not wrong, but at the same time. There was a chance he had caused X's shut down and system purge...
"Oh, By Srimati-Radharani's life-giving effulgence... I knew you were one of the ancient's lost treasure." he addressed X, causing Zero to bristle.
"Hey, this is a hospital ward, not a museum!" Douglass barked. Then he realized what Magolor just said.
"Wait... what the hell are Ancient's anyway?" Axl asked the all-important question from him. "Sorta skip that part of the meeting. Also... what the hell did you do to X? I thought we were friends?!"
"I did absolutely nothing... that I can remember, that is." The diminutive alien admitted as he began to auscultate the peacefully 'sleeping' being. " I gave him apples, but those apples should be safe him. I should know; my Lori absolutely loves them." He babbled as he began floating around the blue bomber, inspecting him under all of his lines and conduits. "Did you find something else, anything he said? Mister Zero told me his body was crystallizing. Can I see those Crystals?" the diminutive alien didn't even wait as he opened up X's chest and poking his inside.
"Hey there, I'm his Medic!" Douglas grumbled as he tried to push the hyper-active alien away from his patient. " I've been treating thousand of reploids over the years, and I've never let any stranger's tell me what to do."
"But X is not a reploid." Magolor gently spoke down to Douglas, his palms folded. "X was made... and may even be a member of the Ancient Race I'm studying. So, while you are a reploid expert, I am the greatest authority you have on anything-" He made some... sound that could pass for some words.- "Related." He finished as he floated toward the monitor...
He then proceeded to drop whatever professionalism he had as he began to gush about X's corrupted coding language openly.
Then it hit Douglas in the face like a fish... "You can read this?" He blurted out as he joyfully realized that this diminutive E.T probably knew more of X's undecipherable blueprint and natural diagnosis software.
"Yes... It's definitely the Ancient's dialect..." He touched the screen as he floated back and forth the lines like the head of a typewriter. " Lor-Nil-Mapop is fine; he's just updating his system and clearing out some dubious material from his cash. Hmm... It seemed that he was tempered with..." He mumbled to himself as he floated back to X.
"Lor-Nil... Mapop? " Douglas tried to imitate... all the while trying to ignore the snickering Axl.
"X's actual designation... Lor means Heaven, bliss and the ultimate abodes... and Nil means nothing or lost, and mapop means hope, dream, a brighter future and the positive end of a long journey." Magolor explained, " Ah, I see, this letter of the ancient dialect does resemble Xi quite a lot, isn't it?" he rhetorically asked as he pointed at the 'X' shaped glyph. "But yes, X is fine, that is happening is normal and will be going on for some time until his systems are all purged by... Oh Krishna, so that was why my little Lori was so ecstatic this morning."
It was at this point that Douglas realized that he really was out of his dept with this one... well, Actually, he had always been out of his depth dealing with X and Zero; his only real job was to patch whatever he could while hoping he would not have to do anything Major.
And make sure Zero's viral oil would not infect anymore reploid.
"What do you mean?" Zero practically snapped. "Explain yourself!"
"Calm down." Meta Knight snapped. "Your anger won't make anything better, quite the opposite, I'm afraid." The diminutive knight warned. And it was clear Zero was about to rebuke him when he held his tongue... For Kirby had walked in with another bushel of Gem fruits.
'Huh... so he is scared of Kirby...' After reading about the pink walking Anomaly, everyone would be rightly afraid of the diminutive black hole. And knowing (some) of Zero's battle quirk, his threat assessment must be screaming worst than the Fukushima nuclear siren at the moment.
"Now... if you could let me speak." Magolor spoke some tired frustration. He folded his palms and let his fingers dance upon one another... even though his hands really seemed to be but a pair of gloves. "I will finally be able to explain the magnificent being that is Lor-Nil. And what is happening to him."
They heard Zero grumbled in the back. Something about how he was not trusting the flying cat head.
"Oh, but I assure you, sir Zero. I would never lie about an ancient artifact... not anymore." He assured them. "But before I may start, here's what I could get from his diagnosis screen."
At those words, Douglas gave all attention, as was everyone else in the room.
"Nil is in recovery mode; his self-repair software are currently removing whatever upgrade had been installed by a third party-"
"Why?" Zero's tone cut through Magolor's explanation.
"Ah. Yes... That." Magolor nodded as if Zero inclusion was all a part of the show. "Well, you see. My Lori and X are, from what I am seeing, very close design-wise."
"X Is not a ship." The blond informed the floating alien in the flattest tone possible.
"No... Obliviously not. But those two are two Techno-magic entities build or born at around the same time. And both are referred to in the scriptures of the Ancients; the book of legend."
"No. Frigging. Way." Axl breathed out... "So you're telling us that X is a robot made by E.T's?"
"No... Lor-Nil Is an extraterrestrial life form... in the same category as the Lor Starcutter. Lor-Nil and Lor-Ruah were made to face what is commonly referred to as The Dark Clouds of Hate and the White Void." Magolor informed the group. "Unfortunately, this is all I know..." He admitted. "This book, the one I found, at least, had been heavily damaged by a great cataclysm."
"Well, that's convenient." Axl groused. "You found something good, but it's corrupted... talk about rotten luck."
Magolor shrugged. "Alas, this type of frustration is sadly common for archaeologists." He clapped his hands together, dismissing the subject. "Now... it seemed my Lori has taken a shine to X... and feeling sympathetic for him; she uploaded an upgraded version of his yearly disk-cleaning program. Something that would take care of all of this junk that had accumulated for years."
"Excuse me, mister Magolor," Douglas interjected.
"Mangalananda Das!" The diminutive floating alien crossed his arms.
"Whatever." He frostily dismissed. "What you call 'junk' are genuine Light-made patches and updates by the legendary father of robotic, Doctor Tomas light."
"Oh... so that's the name of the fraud," Magolor spoke with a nonplus attitude. " Listen here, This Tomas Light did not build X. He probably just find him and, from his design. And Lor-Nil is now clearing up all of this and restoring his system to how it should be..., and yes, this Crystallization is merely a way to protect his original parts and rebuilding what was lost." He explained as he was speaking to a class of Students. "And no, Nil was never made by this mister Light, merely found."
Douglas gave an impermissible wince as he felt his historic database rewrote itself...
"So... now what?" Zero asked as he kept an eye on Kirby.
Magolor Shrugged. "We wait... and let Lor-Nil's body do the needful," Magolor stated. "Now... who's hungry?"
"Nila?" he heard himself call. "Nila, open your eyes."
'Nila? No, I'm... I'm X... who is this person talking to?' X wondered as he turned to his side... he felt better than last night, lighter, cleaner and... a bit more himself than expected.
He opened his eyes and starred...
He was floating in a sea of data... and lines of codes written in a language he could recognize. And in front of him was a bright orb of light with a star impressed on it.
"Ah? Where am I?" He asked aloud to the orb. "Hello? Who's there?"
The streams of Data froze, and the light began to run a scan on X.
'what is it? A virus? A reploid? What's going on here?"
Once the scan was done, The orb of light shimmered into a multitude of glowing colours, some humans knew... another only X was aware of.
And then the mass of light congealed... and X was looking at himself.
And apparently, X was wearing some long robes of some sort... and a halo.
"Ah!?"
"Ah!?" The copy repeated, imitating the look of utter surprise that decorated X's face—the only differences were the pairs of stars that danced in his eyes.
X stared at the being... "Ah... who are you?" He asked.
His Copy smiled... when was the last time he had seen himself smile in a mirror?
"I'm Lor-roah." The being introduced itself. "But you also know me as the Lor Starcutter." He pressed her splayed hand to her chest.
X's eyes grew wide. "Y-You're the Lor?"
"Yes, foster father call's me Lori." He... she confirmed, her smile never leaving her lips.
"Why do you look like me?" X blurted, looking at the avatar from all sides. "Did you copy me? How come we look alike?"
"I did copy you... I won't keep it like this I promise," She stated. "Oh, I can't believe it; I never thought I would see you again after so long, Nila!" She spoke with clear jubilation, and would she be standing on the floor, she would be hopping for joy.
This outburst caught the blue bomber by surprise. "... Do I know you?"
It was now Lori's turn to stare in shock. "...You... you don't remember me?" she asked, heartbroken over this prospect.
X shook his head. "No, I... and why do you keep calling me Nila? I'm X!"
X's doppelganger stared... and her happy smile slipped. "Oh... you... you forgot."
"Forgot what?"
"Nila... what's you're earliest memory?" Lori asked as her form and voice shifted.
"Ah... I remember my creator speaking to me... He called me X." He informed the ship...
'OK... now that's starting to get a bit wilder than expected.' not that he was not used to it...
"That's it? Nothing more?" Lori asked, her voice now clearly feminine, same with her form.
"No... That was the first time I was activated."
Lori frowned, and she shook her head. "Oh... I see. Then I don't think you were activated yet, you were still in your embryonic state." She sadly informed X. "We're Halcandriens, from another dimension." Lori informed the now very much confused Reploid. "We were chosen to stop a great calamity in our world... but..."
"But?"
" But our project was taken over by a matter most dark, and we were scraped." His feminine doppelganger sadly informed him, her eyes staring off in the distance. "Yes, I remember now... you were unfinished, and I was meant to carry you to the safe haven if The Void would come and destroy you."
"No..." X shook his head. "This can't be true, I..." He shook his head.
"It's true!" Lori exclaimed. "It was after the age of prosperity when the mage guild unleashed the Dark Horrors on our land, and the temporal knight cleansed away those who fell to the dark clouds." Her eyes clouded as the world around them shifted, following Lori's emotions. "The four Hero's sealed one of the beasts... but their king escape, it's tears of blood polluting all and corrupting our planet."
"The infection was so great... the knight struck the surface and scorched the land... leaving it a husk." All around, flames covered the space and destruction like nothing ever had the misfortune of seeing replaced the lines of codes.
In the middle of the flames stood a figure as tall as Madan-mohan das. His mask was a polished silver with a cross-shaped slit in the middle that let his orange eyes shine through like a pair of amber, a pair of golden horns protruded from the top while, in his back, a pair of angel wings stood erect as he prepared to strike the ground.
Around him... dark clouds rose from the ground, bubbling like the maverick virus... some even resembling the Shadow Devil in Zero's viral space.
Suddenly, the all-consuming darkness opened their bloody eyes as they tried to engulf the knight.
The knight closed his eyes... and a Ų shaped mark began to glow on his brows... and he struck the planet.
All turned into white... and then back at Lori, who held herself as she remembered this terrible day.
"This... was the last thing I remember before Mangalananda fixed me... he put some things in me I didn't want and... and he wasn't a very good person back then... not really evil, just too greedy for power." Lori babbled on, not quite aware of what was going on. "He fell to them... I knew... but I couldn't stop... he had me under his complete control... I didn't want to hurt them; I didn't want to... Kirby... Mateo... Dwayne..." She began to sob uncontrollably.
X knew the sight... he knew it all too well.
He somehow managed to approach the shell-shocked being, holding her close. "It's alright, Lori-chan... I... I may not remember you, or anything that happened, but it's all over now, it's over, those bad clouds won't get you..."
"I can still feel them... they are on this planet." She wheezed out as she clutched X as if he was a lifeline. "All those dolls, our kind are affected... the red one, your other half is filled with it!"
X sighed as he rubbed Lori's back. "Yes... That's the virus; it has nothing to do with this plague you are talking about... and I doubt it would be this... Dark Matter." He assured the... his contemporary. "Zero was made here, on earth by another scientist by the name of Wily, and he's... viral." X wince at the description of his lover.
Yes, he was viral, and yes, he could still infect other Reploids if he wished so...
If he wished so.
"He loves you... You... you."
"Shh-shh... it's alright. I love him too... He's a wonderful person." Really, X never expected the red ripper to be so sweet under his gruff demeanour. Really, he could write books about their first meeting and their first kiss under a tree...
When trees were still around.
He cradled the electronic-life form as she calmed down.
"I'm sorry... I... I didn't expect to act like this; I'm not used to having so much access to my database and..."
"It's alright, Lori... Its Post-traumatic stress... I have it too." And Zero, and Axl... not he would ever admit it. "When did it happen?" He asked.
"A long time ago... Eight heavenly millennia ago..." Lori tried to explain. "Basically... 8,000,000,000-"
"Oh... hah." There was nothing more X could say. "Alright... and what happened to you? What happened to me?" He interrupted her illogical time calculation.
"We were... where damaged," Lori explained as she experimentally went out of X's arms. " I was stuck in my ship form... and I had practically no mental faculty, it's only because Papa bothered repairing me that I was able to move again." She shuddered. "Papa was nice; he kept talking to me... but when he learned of the crown..." She sobbed a bit. "He... he changed... Kirby... Kamala-Kantha saved him... he destroyed the master crown and freed father... and I saved father... But Father still couldn't fix me..."
"And how about me?" X prodded.
"You... The great mages of old, the faction of Light, sent you to the heart star through a portal, carried by the sharp winged Garuda Bird... That's all I know."
"I see..." X nodded, used to not having all the information he so thirsts for. "So Mangalanada got infected with this hate plague. But you and Kamala saved him, and... he turned back to normal?" X asked; he had to make sure this tiny alien would not become yet another problem.
It was more important than his... past.
It didn't felt like a dream, and his hands were still his, despite his new form. Meaning; this was really happening.
Huh.
"Yes..." Lori nodded, it was clear her panic attack was subsiding the more she spoke to X. "He... with my help, we build Kamala a beautiful them park, and we always gave him the best deal on those gem apples. And now, father and I are helping him preach all over the universe the Glories of Krishna." She lowered her eyes. "It's not much... especially after all he did for us."
"I see..." X muttered as the conversation petered off. He had much to think about.
"Say, Lori," He began. "Where are we?" He asked... this should definitely have been the first thing on his mind. Zero would be so ashamed of him, of this, he was sure.
Lori perked up at those words. "Oh, I imported you in my Ship-form meta-verse. Were in the same place I keep all the rooms in." She explained. "Were now behind those rooms..."
"It's pretty empty."
"Yes... I never needed something more, but..." She hummed. "Nila, could you please help me decorate our room?" she asked X.
"Ah... sure!" And then his intelligence finally kicked into high gear.
"Hey, wait a minute... how come I'm... not in my frame anymore," X asked, more than a little scared at what could cause him to be disembodied.
If he was dead... Zero would blow quite a few gaskets. And a city...
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," Lori assured him. "I saw that your system was clogged with too many dubious updates and unused abilities. So I sent you a patch that activated your yearly purge protocol and boosted it high enough that all the bad stuff would come out." She explained as she took X's hands and dragged him in another part of the... her environment. "But since you had some much... plus some of the plague, I had to make your body sleep and..." She blushed.
"You wanted to speak to me."
"Yes... and you carry some data-packet I don't have anymore... and I wanted to fix myself also," Lori admitted sheepishly. "I... I was in emergency mode for so long, Nila... I hope you don't mind?"
X sighed as he followed his kin. "It's alright... I know how that is."
Both fell silent as Lori lead X to a box filled with assets. "Alright... now, where do you think we could make our room?" she asked him.
"what do you mean 'our room?'" X asked. "I already have a room." With Zero, Of course.
Lori's face lowered, and her smile fell again. "Oh... I see."
"Oh... alright then." X nodded, reminding himself that Lori was still an extra dimensional-life-form that came from a planet called Halcandra.
His angelic copy raised her head, stared at X with glittering eyes filled with hope.
"I... don't think I have anything better to do anyway," X admitted as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Alright!" Lori cheered as she grabbed ahold of X's hands and began twirling around with him. "I have plenty of Furniture data, and by the time were done, your body should be done with his data-cleaning.
"Great!" He couldn't wait to get back, for Zero must be wearing a grove in the hallway right now.
"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare..." Dharadhara Das chanted as he ambled on with his eyes close, wondering where would his Nitai lead him this time?
Would it be a canyon? A kitten? Another Vaishnava? Hungry children?
More people in need?
Whatever his Master had planned for him, DDD was ready and willing to accept it, for it was his vow.
"Open your eyes, my friend," Nitai told him, his ankle bells signing to attract the fallen soul to his lotus feet. "You're were I want you to be."
And Dharadhara did...
"Well, I'll be... back at the base, huh?" He muttered in pure wonder. He had been wandering close to some rubble of some sort... and plenty of robot parts.
Well... body parts, really.
Poor mother earth had been so used by demons that she had elected to take back all of her wealth. Or... she had taken her wealth away from this particular part of the continent. He still had to check the rest of the world to take how Dhara felt.
'It's all your plan, Krishna; you give us all that we deserve... But, I would still like to see your divine wife thrive again if you wouldn't mind, that is.' He prayed as he made his way down different corridors, coming to a sight that took him a little aback.
It was Zero, and the poor thing was actively digging a trench in the corridor with his anxious passing. 'Welp Here's someone who needs's Nitai's mercy. Alright my Lord, cover me, Am going in!"
Dharadhara cleared his throat, hoping this would not trigger sir Zero to lash out. And thankfully, the reploid only lifted his head in the direction of the sound.
Somewhat lifted his head, for to DDD, Zero could probably rival dear Void-Prabhu in his Nightmare Armour.
" So... what's eating you up, son?" Dhara asked as he got his hand out of his Japa-Bag. Giving his full attention to this poor soul.
Zero's face closed itself. "It's none of your business.
"Maybe it ain't. But I'd wager it's about X." Dhara informed the mechanical being, watching his emotion danced.
He looked away.
"So... what happened to him. And mind if I have a seat?" He asked; he may have attained 'eternal' youth (because that one time with the fountain.), but he could still feel fatigued after a long walk.
"Yeah, suit yourself," Zero grunted as he gestured to the only piece of furniture.
"Thank ya, Kindly boy... you too, sit."
And without thinking much about it, Zero sat beside the regal penguin. Looking as forlorn as a forlorn man could be.
Dharadhara das remained quiet, knowing that Zero would open up when he would feel the need, not a moment more. And thus, he took his beads and chanted some more under his breath.
"X is an Ancient." he finally opened up after a minute. "An Ancient... Lornil-Mapop."
"Hmm... I see. The hope of the heaven Lost." DDD intoned. "And? Why does it bother you?"
"I... What if..." Then Zero clamped up.
The retired king of Dreamland raised a brow; oh, how he wished the Jamba-heart would have given him the same ability as Madan.
"Speak up, son... I won't judge yah!" No, for the great king had learned how judgment should not be placed on someone Nilly-willy.
Zero turned to face the diminutive, if fat, bird, his eyes calculating.
DDD kept his eyes soft and his face open, for he had nothing to hide.
Finally, the red android sighed as he sat back. And after another minute in which he stared at the ceiling... and probably praying to Krishna despite himself. "I...Have a history." He began, choosing his words carefully. "A very... bloody history."
Dhara grunted.
"I... made plenty enemies... over a very, very long period of times and..." The maverick hunter looked both sides of the corridor, his hair flaring wide as if to sense for any intruders.
Satisfied that they were well and truly alone, he let his mane fell.
"King-"
"Just call me Triple D; it's shorter... or Dhara." Yes, Dhara knew how hard his name was on people's tongues. And he didn't want his dear friend Zero to be encumbered by it.
"Dhara... I was build to destroy X, but... I..." Zero hesitated. "We... Grew close". He said meaningfully
"He's dear to yah... like, very dear to yah." Dharadhara chuckled. "Eh, It's alright; I ain't a moralist... And I bet yer creator got a nasty surprise when his plan fell to the wayside."
"No... He died before I was awakened. Same with X's... supposed creator."
"Son... stop trying to hid, just tell me plainly, I won't judge," he promised... and Dharadhara meant every word of it.
Zero sighed as he sat back. "No, listen... This, my past, is not something I want to go into detail about." He angrily ran a hand over his face, blowing air out of his nose. " But... X was created a very long time ago... and he's not from this earth."
"Hmm, I see."
"Apparently, he's from another dimension and... His name means 'No hope in paradise.'" He gritted, his teeth clenched.
And for a moment, Dharadhara das felt... It.
It, The Great Shadow, the cursed Ghost... Dark matter...
And then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the king worried... until he remembered that those creatures were long gone, Kamala would kill them again if they ever dared to revive their master again and that Krishna had everything in control, he had nothing to worry about.
'Must've been Zero's emotions... that kid got something dark about him.' Despite the fact that he was clearly a hero.
Maybe it was the Virus they kept talking about... yes, that must be it.
"And how 'bout you Sir zero, where were you made?" The Vaishnava asked as he tried to hide how... shaken he was.
"In Germany, around 1991 or so."
"Hmm... I see. Yer quite young then." Dharadhara commented, being well over a thousand himself.
Zero huffed with a sad smile. "Feel's like I'm older sometimes..."
"I Ain't surprised." The blue king of Dreamland patted the reploid as high as he could reach, meaning the to part of his waist. "So... back to X, what didja learn 'bout him that turn ya all glum and grim?"
"We have no idea why he was built for, and I have no idea what will wake up after his disk cleaning." Zero continued. "It may not even be X." He clenched his hands.
Dharadhara grunted. "Ah see... so yer mourning for him... even if he ain't gone yet." He gave an indulgent smile.
Zero sighed as he hunched forward, leaning his elbows to his knee's. Even folded onto himself, and black, red and gold reploid was unnervingly tall for the King of dreamland.
"I know... I shouldn't lament for a body or the soul, for the body is already dead, and the soul is immortal." Zero practically quoted the Lord. "But... X will not die; he will just... change in a way that will practically erase his old personality." He chuckled sadly. "In a way... it is death, while he remains in his current body."
"To be honest... it would be better if he would just die soon..."
Those heavy words were spoken with an amount of sorrow that would make even Su-devi weep.
"The wars here are that bad?" Dharadhara das stated more than he asked; he had learned a bit about what had happened to Bhu-devi after they had left over a thousand years ago...
It wasn't pretty, but it was also not as bad as some would expect. It was still a terrible situation that had left most of the earth as a desert. But there were still some patches of green, and Dharadhara knew that, with Kamala,
Zero got up. "War is hell for those who have a compassionate heart... and X's heart..."
"Soft as butter, ain't it?"
The reploid in red smirked. "It's used to be... but it's getting harder." His smile fell. "I don't know what will happen once he waked up; I just hope Lor-Nil-Mapop won't force me to act on an old promise of his," Zero spoke sadly as he began to walk away, only to freeze.
"Zero?"
"Oh, Hey Zero!" He heard Gandharva greet the towering being. "Hare Krishna, my brother!"
Dharadhara looked down at were their most... interesting friend stood on the floor.
"I'm not." Zero flatly denied. "Why are you here Gooey, do you need something?" The towering reploid asked as he kneeled to Gandharva's height... or close to it anyway.
"Lor-Nil's awake!" Gandharva happily declared as he pulled his tongue out as cheered. "An' he's looking for you."
A peculiar look took over Zero; it was a look that was very familiar to Dhara.
It was the look of some who was sadly ready to face the music.
"Hey... We'll be here, Sir Zero. Yah won't have to go through this all alone; I promise" And the King of Dreamland would seldom break those promises.
Zero looked down at the diminutive alien bird... and then sighed. "Thank... I guess."
And with that, they returned to the medical bay, mostly in silence save from Gandharva happily warbling a beautiful song from Thakura Bhaktivinoda.
They arrived at the door to were X was. Zero took a deep breath and walked in.
After an hour or so of decorating and playing around like a pair of children, X felt the urge to return to his physical body.
He informed Lor-ruah of this fact as he added the finishing touch to the library, a bust of doctor Nivan, the modern mother of the robotic legal laws.
"Oh! That means your body's fixed now." His sort-of-sister of sort chirped happily as she skipped closer to the blue E.L.F. "You can return to it and wake up; I'm sure you'll feel a load better after all this."
X nodded, then embraced Lori. "Thank you for everything."
"No... I'm the one who has to thank you." She answered back, worrying her lips.
"Lori? What's wrong?"
"Nilla... you really don't remember?" The other elf asked, her brows creased.
"No... I just remember the last ninety years..." he informed the other. "Say... what's the name of our race?"
"Were... not really a race," Lor-Ruah admitted. "Were ghost that was given a new gross body to work with. I don't really remember who I was before that tough, but that OK, I don't need to remember that far!" She happily chirped. "And... I think it's better for you to have forgotten the Dark-Times... I mean, you have a new life here and... someone who loves you dearly, friends-"
"Wars... enemies..." X grinned. "Yeah... no need to add more trauma to my plate."
"Yeah..." Lori lowered her eyes. "Do you think... do you think you would have time to visit me?"
"Of course I would, Lori." X easily replied. "And I will bring Zero with me; I'm sure he'll adore you!" X assured, already missing his boyfriend.
Actually, he had been missing Zero for some time now... he X knew he had to apologize for how he had treated his partner.
...
"So... how do I return to my body?" X asked after some time, noticing that nothing was happening.
Lori gave a kind smile, happy at the prospect of helping another being like her. "Well, you just close your eyes and opened them!"
"That's it?" X asked. To which Lori smiled and nodded.
"Alright... Here goes nothing." X muttered as he did as instructed...
He knew it worked the moments his lids were closed, for he became acutely aware of his surroundings and body.
It was lighter, freed of the upgrades that muck down his process.
He had lost practically all of Doctor light's change to his armour, and his ultimate Armour was gone... and yet.
And yet, he felt better, fresh and freed from a weight that had been slowing him down.
Even his HUD looked crisper and neat... as it was supposed to be.
He opened his eyes, noting how everything was brighter and crisper; he could see the sound more the ether, Photons dancing here and there and the delicious Aura the crystal-fruits produced.
X sat up; nothing easier for him to move, his body lighter and nimbler than before.
"X! you're awake!" He heard Douglas gasp. "Alright, what happened? Any pain? Weird thoughts? Anger?" The medic asked as he began osculating the revived reploid.
"I'm fine; my mind is clear." He took a deep breath in, nothing how easier it was to move his chest. And when he released it, all the accumulated heat dissipated at a rate that would make standing in a volcano comfortable. "I've never felt better... I feel so light!"
"Yeah, no wonder. Your system purged you of all armours and upgrade." Douglas grumbled, " I'm not even sure we should let out on the field until we can figure out what's left of Doctor Lights work."
X pursed his lips... "Yeah, I need to find one of his capsules," X admitted. "May I get off? I need to find Zero."
"I'll find him for you, Mister X." He heard a warbling voice from the ground, and sure enough, Gandharva was there. "Mangalananda got you some more crystal fruits to eat... I ate a few; they were good!" The slime grinned.
"Good to hear!" X stated with a smile of his own; He was feeling quite peckish after his impromptu nap. He got off from the cot and to his feet.
He stopped as he re-calibrated in record time; everything felt lighter and crisp. X then caught sight of his arms...
The armour now resembled glass, but after checked his speck, he realized that this new shell was made out of...
"Yeah, So I wanted to warn you, but... most of your armour turned into...
"Crystals." X breathes out as he gave himself a good look.
He was still mostly blue, but a power-conduit ran up and down his frame, reminding him of Lori. Nothing much had changed save from the otherworldy mineral his frame was made of.
'Right... I need to check up on her.' X thought as he sat beside Gandharva and began to consume the crystalline energy.
The grapes were sweet yet slightly astringent, the bananas rich and creamy with a hint of sour... and then there was this red and yellow egg-shaped fruit. So sweet!
It was... so much better than the tanks and the manufactured E-crystals.
"So, what did I miss? How long was I out?" He asked as he continued to decimate the grapes, his favourite by far.
"Well, We now know Kirby's power level... Basically, I'm looking forward to the next time the cyber-devil will show his ugly face." Douglas smirk devilishly. "He won't even be a snack for the little guy."
"Hn," X grunted as he drank the water proffered by Gandharva das. "Thanks, Gandharva."
"Just Call me Gandhi, friend." The blue blob warbles happily as he rubbed the side of his face against X's hands.
He liked this little blob, So pure.
"Um... X?" Douglas once again gained the blue bomber's attention. "There's... something else I need to tell you."
"It's about how I'm not a Light-bot, isn't it?"
The green medic's lips tighten to a thin line. "You're not even from here... from planet earth."
"Prithvi-devi!" Gandhi Happily warbled again.
"Yeah... Lori told me as such..." X mumbled.
'It was not a dream then... I really am..."
"My name is Lor-Nil." The blue bomber stated. "And Doctor light didn't build me."
He felt the heavy yet gentle hand on Douglas on his shoulder. "It's alright... Your still you, and I don't think this revelation will change anything X... if your want to be called X, that is."
X felt the corner of his lips curled up. "Yeah... let's just keep X..." They once again fell.
Besides him, Douglas sat down beside the newly awakened and updated X. "Hey, d'you want to talk about it? We can exchange notes and see what's new and all that."
X nodded and gave his favourite medic a grateful smile.
About an hour later, They realized that, despite the new revelation about X's identity as Lor-Nil-Mappop, nothing else had changed... and they sent the absolutely sweet and adorable Gandharva to get Zero.
He was also quite keen to meet with Mangalananda Das, for he seemed to know more about X than even Doctor light, perhaps.
But first... He had to assure his boyfriend that no... it would not change anything in their relationship.
"You know... you're taking better than expected," Douglas spoke up from the floor, seemingly unbothered by his position.
X shrugged. "I've learned not to let change get to me over the years... there's no use making a fuse because something ended."
The medic nodded, once again reminded that X was much older than he looked.
Much... much older.
X got up from the floor and dusted himself off, using one of the shiny panels to check his look.
His armour still looked more or less the same. Maybe more like his first 'ultimate' armour, same as his eyes and face. The only difference was the material his body was made out of... and the lines that covered his body, power of unknown origin pulsating through them in gentle waves.
On his back was a sort of... panel like Zero, but instead of having a sword handle peaking at the top, a pair of slits was there instead.
He was about to inspect what they were when his treat detection system blared to life, warning him of a highly critical treat... a treat that went far above what Sigma would generate.
A smile split his lips; his Zero was there.
And Indeed, when the door open, his lover stood there, looking at X with a mixture of concern and relief.
The red ripper took one look at X's new default armour, his face unreadable.
Some fear bloomed in X's heart... His Zero was anxious.
Finally, after some interminable minutes...
"Who are you?" Zero asked, his quivering voice as clear as day for X.
"It's me, X..." [Your lover, nothing's change Z, I'm still me.] He sent via radio wave to his one true companion.
[Mangalananda told us your name was Lor-Nil-Mapop.] Zero sent, his jaw still clenched tight.
[Yes... Heaven's lost hope.] X sent back. [But... I'm still X; nothing will change that.]
[What are your directive?] Zero's data wavered.
'He's scared.' X realized as he scanned his codes for his directive...
[Z... my directives are to protect humanity and... to love you until our frames turn to atoms.]X assured his lover of this fact, his features automatically softening from the natural affection he felt for his tall love-bug. [Zero... I'm still me, I may have a past... but this past is gone, I don't even remember it.]
He could see Zero's shoulders lowered as tension somewhat left him.
X returned to Normal time and glanced at Douglas, who, understanding the wordless order, vacated the room, followed by Gandharva the blob and the penguin.
Gandhi gave a long look to Zero before he slithered away, the door closing behind him. Leaving the two lovers in the same room.
Both reploid stood in front of one another; the tension was still there.
"Zero... please speak to me," X spoke aloud, knowing that radio waves did not easily convey emotions. "If it's about my past... listen, we can just forget about it and continue on. I don't even remember being Lor-Nil... I just remember being X..."
Zero averted his eyes.
X took a step forward, extending his hand to Zero's handsome features.
The legendary maverick hunter shied away from the soft limb, breaking X's heart as he wearily gazed at his lover.
"Zero..."
Once again, silence fell on them. The only saving grace was that the usually fearless red riper was still in the room and not storming off.
"Z... is it about my interest in Bhakti?" This was something else that had seem to bothered Zero.
And maybe this erroneous guess would be enough to have his stubborn blond open up... even if it was out of anger.
"... no, I'm fine with you practising." A slight smile finally stretched his lover's artificial lips. "It's... would be good for you... and I know I won't be able to stop you anyway."
Those words hurt X more than he cared to admit, for it meant Zero was giving up.
X firmly put his hands on Zero's shoulder guards; he could feel the tension there. "Then what's wrong? Why are you afraid of me?" the Blue legend asked his Red Lover. "Please, Zero, speak to me."
Zero's gaze finally met X's crystalline own, he remained silent, but the blue bomber could just hear his thought process.
Finally, the Red Ripper took a deep breath in, bracing himself...
Only to be interrupted by the maverick alarm.
Putting this whole event behind themselves, the couple ran to the dispatching room to reconvene with Signas and his team; trouble was brewing again.