RP The Neutron Star (VoF)

[Dahlexpert]

"Hmm... So, do you have violent thoughts when you're not hunting? Urges to push people out windows, off balconies, esc?" Dr. Cross asked.

From time to time there are times when I just want to slit peoples thought, but." Cassia start's to think about a response.

"People you see around the ship? Your friends?"

"There are days I see myself killing my friends, the crew burning the ship and even joining the pirates. Because a part of my wants to be a criminal and just kill, but I meditate but there are days were my meditation doesn't work & I rely on drinking and some pills. “Cassia looks at Winter

"So doc do you have any advice for me, to make me not want to lose my bloody mind?"

"Well... You may have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder... But it's different than most I've seen..." Camellia mumbled to herself, "Do you... Try to avoid places where you think you might hurt people? Do you think you're a monster for feeling this way?"

"No, I don't think i'm a monster for thinking this way. Hell I go to places were those urges are strong, mostly because those places are filled with criminals."

"I think you could have Harmful OCD, which is when someone is plagued by horrible thoughts of killing people or loved ones uncontrollably and avoid places where that happens... But you actually like killing and hurting people... HOCD sufferers are usually terrified of killing people..." Camellia explained, "Do you... Do have anyone you think you would protect with your life? That you love and want to keep safe no matter what? Boyfriend, girlfriend, family?"

Cassia thinks for a second and answers immediately "Brigid O Brian. I love Brigid there is nothing I wouldn't do for her, I will protect her with my life and I will not let anyone harm her."

"Oh really? Interesting..." She smiled for a second, before returning to her neutral expression, "Hmm... Have you ever felt remorse over an action that you think caused someone else's death? Have you ever felt guilty that you couldn't save someone?"

Cassia smile fades "Yea, years ago I lost a squad that I was the leader of. They trusted me to get them out of there, but they gave their lives to save me and I wish I could have saved them."

"That's good... If you want my professional, medical opinion... I don't think there'sanything wrong with you at all... Well, nothing major at least..." Winter smiled, "You're regret over your lost friends proves that you can feel empathy towards others, which means you're not a Sociopath... You're not a Psychopath because of your love of Brigid... HOCD doesn't check out either..."

"Wait so you’re telling me I’m fine, there's nothing wrong with me majorly?"

"No, I don't think so... I think you're just a person who loves to give criminals what you think they deserve... Personally, I don't agree with it, no such thing as Good and Evil in this world, just grey, everyone's grey..." She sat her clipboard down, "And everyone can change... Dolling hatred to those that doll hatred only makes people want to doll hatred to you... And the only way to break that cycle is for someone to care... For someone to forgive... For someone to believe in them..."

"Hum, well then thanks for the input doctor." Cassia stands up "Thanks for your words, I don't think I will ever be civil but it's just good to talk about my....well the state of my head and get some things off my cheats."

Of course, I'm always here if you need to talk alright? It's not weak to talk about how you feel." Cammy smiled calmly.

"Yea i'll keep that in doc, anyway I have some training to do you have a good one doc."

"You too... And good luck with Brigid." Winter winked,then made a zipping gesture near her mouth.

"Yea best keep what I said about Brigid quiet, and don't ever mention it."

"You have my word as a medical professional."

"Thank you, you have a good one doc. Cassia leaves the room

 

[MarineAvenger]

First Impressions Part One (MarineAvenger and Dahlexpert)

The Neutron Star, in orbit over Forseti.
Bar area

Noire sat at the bar drinking some juice, thinking to herself outloud with a sigh, "Man Korra wore me out. I’m glad I helped her out and I hope she's doing better now."

"Hard day?" Someone asked as he sat on the stool next to Noire, ordering just a beer. From his getup, he looked to be from engineering. "They got me running around the starship bay helping with the heavy lifting. Sucks massively." He had somewhat long blonde hair and some hair on his chin, having a hard looking chiseled face.

"Well, aren't you attractive. Yes, I had a long day, trying to help my friend cope with the loss of her boyfriend. "

"Must be rough. You know I almost signed up as a soldier but found engineering was better suited to me." The man explained, holding out his hand. "Name is Malcom Grant."

Noire shook Malcom's hand. "Name's Noire Francois, nice to meet you. So you wanted to be a solder but chose to be an engineer? I can respect that there are other ways to help around the ship."

"Well... Yeah, I guess. Where do you work?" Malcom asked, grabbing his beer and took a good amount down in one go.

"I'm one of those said solders. Good to meet an engineer."

"Oh, well likewise." Malcom gave her almost a sad look but then slowly turned his gaze forward.

"Huh, you look disappointed... do you not like soldiers?"

"Not that. It's just I'm too much a coward to fight like that. I feel bad people like you have to go out there and fight against such large odds. Especially pretty nice people like yourself." Malcom explained, rubbing some condensation off his bottle.

"Oh I don't think you're a coward. Sure you can think I'm brave for fighting the pirates, but I'm just doing my part. Sure I take on large odds when I'm fighting but me, unlike most people, I could have been an engineer. But you're not a coward. Some people just don't want to go to battle, that's just how things are."

"So why did you fight and not just be an engineer?" The blonde man asked her.

"Huh, well I was inspired by my Mom's story and the stuff she did as a soldier back when she was in XCOM. Having her tell me stories about her fighting Balmadaar with her bare hands, wrestling with Beserkers, and beating the crap out of the Ethereals. Having her tell me those stories, I was inspired to become a soldier."

"Your mother has an... Interesting way of telling stories." The engineer told her outright. "So... Wanna tell me about yourself or you going to usher me away before I even get a chance to learn more about you? Women can be really tough of these ships."

"Um, there's not much to tell about me. I was born in France joined went to college. Then I joined the military on Earth, now I'm here."

Malcom raised an eyebrow. "Well... What do you do in your free time? Any hobbies, things you like to do?"

"I mostly train now, but before I came to the ship I used to play music. I would play with my guitar, my drums and many other instruments. I also used to write stories and draw."

"No kidding... I used to play piano and acoustic guitar but it's been a while since then. Kind of sucks that you spend most of the time training though. Does it ever get boring or repetitive?"

"Yeah, working out does. It gets boring after a while, but I would sometimes go down to the planet and mess with this music store. The store owner loves having me around to gather costumers for him."

"I've been meaning to go to the gym more out of necessity but as for the music store... Maybe I will go with you sometime. We can make it a date." He teased with a smirk.

Noire looked at the man in confusion, then got up from the bar and started to look around for someone. "Alright bastards, the joke is over. If you come out now I can only promise a mild injury to you."

"What are you doing?" Malcom asked her with an amused smirk.

"Looking for a camera. I thought I would have been done with this when I left Earth. I should have known there will always be someone trying to mess with me."

"There's no camera." He assured her. "Hey look, just forget about it. Was probably a bit too bold to ask for a date yet."

"No it wasn't, it's just that back on Earth, there were a lot of people that would ask me out on dates, but then they will throw food at me and then call me a monster and an abomination once they knew who I was. Or better yet, what I was."

"And that is?" Malcom asked calmly, turning on his stool with a fresh beer, and elbows leaning against the bar top.

"I''m an augmented human, so now you know. So what are going to tell me? That I'm a monster, that only God deserves this kind of power or any other nonsense?"

"Awesome." Was all Malcom said with a smile. "Of all the women on the ship I happen to sit next to a pretty unique one."

Noire stood there confused. "Y-You don't think I'm a monster? Or some kind of abomination?"

"Why would I? I think it makes you pretty cool. Is your beauty modified too, or are you just that naturally stunning?" Malcom asked as he drank some more beer.

Noire continued to look surprised, stunned that someone called her attractive. "Uh, I'm naturally this way. Um do-do you really think I'm beautiful?"

 

[MarineAvenger]

First Impressions Part Two

"Of course I do. Why else would I say it?" Malcom asked as he set his beer down and crossed his arms. "Now I don't know what other men in the past said or did to you but they must have been blind to throw away an opportunity with you." The engineer assured Noire with an almost angry look, though his tone was genuine.

"Um than... thank you for your kind words. Um, I wasn't expecting anyone to say that to me."

"Could have fooled me." He told her. "So... We got that date or not?" Malcom asked with a wide smile.

"Um su-sure why not? Bu-But I... n-never been on a date before. I don't really know what to do."

"It really isn't that much different from when you go out with a friend, except it is a bit for intimate with the other person. You know, holding hands, holding each other, kisses here and there, stuff like that just so long as you and the other person are doing something." Malcom grabbed his beer again. "Even just a night out drinking."

Noire started to turn bright red at the thought of holding someone's hand and kissing and the like. "Um, yes I would like to to go on a date with you... um when would you like to go one one?"

Malcom shrugged. "Why don't we just count this as our first date? Night is still young... I am sure you haven't eaten dinner yet." The man smiled, mostly at the reaction he got from her.

"Well I did eat with my friend earlier, so I'm not that hungry. But I could eat some more and drink a little, but I see no reason to um... see this as a date."

Malcom's smile dropped a bit. "Do you not want to do this? Not gonna hold a grudge or nothing." He turned his back to her, drinking his beer again wondering if she would sit back down next to him to confirm she was serious.

Noire sat down next to Malcom "Well I guess I could give this a try. Like I said this is me first date so be patient."

Malcom chuckled, and he leaned over and kissed Noire's cheek. "I think I can agree to those terms."

Noire's entire face went red when Malcom kissed her cheek. Noire then pushed Malcom onto the ground and went to leave the bar. "I'm sorry but you caught me off guard there. Maybe we can do this some other time. Again i'm sorry for pushing you."

"H-Hey, wait!" Malcom quickly got up and went after her. "Hey, look I'm sorry Noire. I didn't mean to make you freak out like that."

Noire turned around and saw that Malcom was catching up with her. "I'm sorry but I'm just not ready for dating. Maybe we can do this some other time."

"Noire, please stop!" Malcom reached out and grabbed her arm, albiet not hard. "I'm really sorry about that kiss, it was uncalled for, but I do like you. Just give me a chance, okay? I promise, I won't do anything you don't want to."

Noire almost wanted to fling him, but she started to calm down. "Sigh... I'm sorry about that. Like I said no one has kissed me... ever. So I may have overreacted, I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine. I'm still sorry though. Maybe I had one too many beers go to my head. You are just so pretty I couldn't help myself when you sat down next to me again." He explained. "I... Like you after all."

"Very well, but if you do that again the outcome will not be me running away, but it will be someone scooping you off the ceiling, am I clear?

"Yeah, crystal." Malcom stated calmly. "Did you like being kissed though? It wasn't on the lips, but... you said you've never been kissed like that before. Did you like it?" He shrugged.

"It was interesting. It felt weird... like my body just surged with something. I... I kinda liked it."

"Well, whenever you want to feel that again I would be happily ablidged to kiss you again." Malcom held out his hand to Noire. "Ever been rock climbing?"

"A few times, though I will admit I do get competitive. I hope your ready for that."

Malcom shrugged. "Hey, I don't mind. Wanna go change and meet me at holo-room 3?"

"Sure, just give me a bit of time, alright? I'll meet you there."

Malcom nodded and walked away to go change himself.

15 minutes later.

Malcom stood inside the holo-room waiting for his date to arrive, wearing just some cargo shorts and a plain white tee.

Noire entered the room wearing a black sports bra and some shorts "Well, you look great. Ready to lose?"

Malcom couldn't help but stare, having to close his mouth and clear his throat. "Y-You look... Amazing." He commented.

"Thank you, now stop drooling and let's have some fun. So what would we be climbing?"

Malcom shook his head and went over to a terminal, a digital representation of a rock face with hand holds and foot holds place for them instead of natural ones. "Now Noire... Are you sure you want to beat me that badly?"

"It's not that I want to beat you, I'm just competitive... which means I won't go easy on you."

"Alright... Don't say I didn't warn you." Malcom grabbed a hold of the wall and began climbing it.

Noire stepped backwards, and ran toward the wall and jumped a few feet and used her enhanced strength to dig her hands into the rock. "Ha. The benefit of being enhanced is that I can ding into the rock. Oh and no mental pictures of my ass!"

As she climbed past him, Malcom couldn't help but look up at her shorts. "Hey... I did warn you, didn't I?"

 

[MarineAvenger]

First Impressions Part Three

"Hey you should be more focused on climbing, instead of looking up at my ass." Noire said while climbing even higher.

"Easier said then done. It is too cute." He informed her as he raced after her.

"Don't call my butt cute!" Noire continued to climb the wall, only this time grabbing a pebble and threw it at Malcom.

He chuckled as he avoided it. "Why? You do have a cute butt." He continued climbing after her, Noire not realizing he was distracting her.

"I will hurt you after this, I hope you know that." Noire continues to climb noticing that Malcom was catching up with her.

"Not only do you have a cute butt, but I think you look sexy in workout clothes. It compliments your beauty nicely." He taunted her, his tricks working as he quickly climbed past her and reached the top first, sitting triumphantly on the ledge.

Noire climbed up right behind him."That was cheating, calling me cute and such just so you could win."

"Why? It isn't like I was lying." Malcom gave her a small grin. "Cutie."

"I swear to God, I should hurt you... but well it's not like I get complements every day, so I won't hurt you but the next time we do this no calling me cute."

"Fine. And any other time?" Malcom asked with a smug look. "Am I still allowed to call you cute?"

"No, because I'm not used to someone calling me that."

"How will you ever be used to it if I never call you cute then?" He asked Noire as he lightly poked her side.

Noire grabbed his finger and really wanted to squeeze it. "Fine, you can call me cute. Just stop with the poking."

"Deal." Malcom looked out, and artificial landscape showing them as if they were really on top of a cliff. There was a large dense forest spread out all around in between two valleys, and there was a magnificent sunset going down. "Looks beautiful. Almost lifelike."

"Yea it does. You know this wasn't a bad first date."

"No it wasn't. You know... It might be beautiful out there, but you wanna see something even more gorgeous?" Malcom asked as he still looked outwards at the horizon.

"I'm sure." Noire said, preparing for whatever Malcom had in mind.

He turned to look at her and gave her a wide smile. "Sorry, I am all out of mirrors for you."

"That is so corny, I think farmers might use that to plant their crops."

Malcom smirked, leaning forward a bit. "The 80s called, they want their comeback back."

"Oh please, the 80s wish the had that joke, but they would love to have those pick up lines you have."

"Oh really?" Malcom asked. "When then maybe you need to shut me up for a bit." He told her, leaning a bit closer.

"And you need to learn about personal space, otherwise that pretty face of yours will be meeting the floor.

Noire pushed Malcom's face away and lifted him above her. "I'm going to say this once! I'm not like other girls, and I said I'm not comfortable around you yet, so stop trying to rush things!"

Malcom shrugged, not seeming too phased by her strength. "What can I say, my old habits die hard. Besides, other women would kill for a romantic moment like that." He informed Noire.

"Do I look like other women? Clearly, other woman wouldn't be able to lift a two hundred plus man with no problem. Unless your used to this?"

"I must say I am impressed. The more you show me the more I feel I am falling for you." He spoke surely. "Like I said before... You are amazing Noire."

"S-Stop that stop trying to butter me up... I'm not sure how to handle this barrage of complements and it's making me feel weird." The Frenchwoman complained.

"I'm not just going to stop complimenting you." Malcom said, finally getting himself out of her hoisted grip and he stood up brushing himself off. "And weird how?"

"Ugh... its making me feel fuzzy and weird. I'm not sure what this is... I'm just used to being called a freak and a monster, not cute."

"That is you feeling good." Malcom explained. "Your body is trying to tell you that you enjoy hearing that sort of stuff. And enough with that down talk. You are not a freak or monster to me."

"Wait... so you really don't think I'm a monster? You actually think I'm cute?"

"Geez... How many times do I have to tell you yes!" Malcom exclaimed, holding out his arms as if the point was obvious.

Noire was excited to hear that it was true, and hugged Malcom tightly. "I'm so happy someone thinks I'm normal! Well... a guy thinks I'm normal. I know my friends treat me normal, but I never had a guy treat me like this."

Malcom was completely caught off guard, and he slowly put his own arms around Noire. "I thought I was making it clear that I thought of you normally... I like you a lot Noire. I find you... Compelling. Your both parts tough and cute. Not to mention... I like women with fire. The timid ones are just boring."

"Hm... well then... this should be an interesting relationship. So... I guess I would have no problem with being your girlfriend." Noire told Malcom with a sly smile.

"Nothing would make me happier. I look forward to seeing just how well we mesh." Malcom told her with a wide smile of his own, rubbing her back as she was still hugging him.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Auntie Korra: Part One

High Orbit over Foresti (July 19th, 2044)
The Neutron Star (1136 Hours, A.S.T.)
Primary Mess

Alice glanced up at the clock, and frowned. "I have to go. We're running new experiments on the Fenrir to improve on their A.I." She stood up and looked down at her lunch partner. "You gonna be okay?"

Korra slowly nodded. With a weak smile, she said, "One... one day at a time, right?"

"Right. I'll see you later." Alice reluctantly walked off, leaving Korra alone to pick at a human food she wasn't even familiar with, not that her sense of taste was any better of than her other dulled senses in recent days.

There was a slight tug of Korra's tail, and when the alien woman whipped around there was the familiar face of Tracey looking up at the Tamearin. Her hair was longer, now well past the shoulders and was a beautiful bright blonde color. Next to her, Lani was by her side, and standing behind her was Connor. "Hey... I told Tracey it was probably best to give you space but she couldn't hold it in any longer." The father explained with a soft smile.

Korra smiled gently. "Of course. I always have time for cute little Tracey. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much."

As Tracey went into Korra's lap and arms, Connor took a seat next to Korra as Lani laid down by her feet. Connor let out a sigh and put his arm around Korra. "I know how you feel, I really do. I can't tell you how much my wife's murder still gets to me. It... It is something you never really get over. It will take a while, but no matter what you feel... There is somebody out there. Somebody that will help with your pain. I found that in Avril. With her help, and yours to a degree... I've began loving again."

Korra sighed. "But... what if I don't want anyone else? Kallpa was... just so perfect for me. I can't imagine I'll ever find someone like that again. And, for Kallpa's sake... I'm not sure I should. It would betray him."

Connor nodded. "You don't think I didn't have those exact same thoughts?" He asked softly with a smile, not mockingly. "I know... And that is a good thing for now. Just... Don't be like me and go destroy yourself, or worse... Waste your years away lonely. I would have liked to meet Kallpa. Maybe me and him could have gotten along, because if he made an impression on you that strong, he was definitely someone special." Connor rubbed Korra's arm like a father would, offering for her to lay against him.

She did so, laying her head against his arm. "Why... why did he have to die? I'm getting better, but I keep thinking... maybe if I was there..."

"You would have died too. What good would that have done anyone? I am sure... That whole time, he was fighting for you. He wouldn't want you dead beside him." Connor explained. "Don't beat yourself up too much."

"I'm trying..." Korra ran a hand through Tracey's hair. "How do I stop it? Everyone has comforted me... and I love them so much for it. But I can't get the sadness to stop. How do I... dull it at least?"

"I... Honestly do not know. For me it was... Coke, morphine, and lots of alcohol. Of course... None of that was the right thing to do but... I was hurting. I didn't know any better. Just try and perserveer. Maybe you will find a better way then I did." Connor looked down, his face showing he had something else on his mind.

Korra glanced up at him. She sat back up and asked, "What is it?"

"Korra... I have bad news... Well, sort of bad news. I'm being shipped off the Nuetron Star. I will be serving a more quiet position with Avril." He told the alien while rubbing her arm again.

Korra's head lowered a bit. "Oh? Well, I... I'm glad you... you are going to be in a more stable position. But... I'm going to miss you... and Tracey." She rubbed Tracey's back.

"Well Korra... Tracey has something to tell you." Connor said, looking to his daughter and she nodded.

"I'm staying with Auntie Korra!" She proudly announced.

Korra looked between the two of them in confusion. "W... what? I don't... understand..."

"While I won't be on the Star... Tracey wants to stay with you Korra. Besides, it will give me and Avril more time, and Tracey would be bored out of her mind at the outpost I am going to."

"So I ask Daddy and he said it is okay for me and Lani to stay with you! If you want me of course. I know you are sad lately and I want to help you not feel lonely!" The little girl explained excitedly.

Korra smiled down at her. "O-of course, Tracey. I would love to have you. But you two were recently reunited. Is this really okay?"

Connor smiled and nodded his head. "Tracey has her entire life with me. I see no reason to split you two apart. Besides, like she said... I am sure you could use the companionship, and I always said you would be a good mother."

Korra smiled gratefully, but there was obvious doubt in her eyes. She took Tracey off her lap and slowly stood up. "Can I... talk to you alone for a moment, Connor?"

"Sure." Connor stood up, Tracey slapping her hands on her lap and Lani jumped up into her lap.

When Connor and Korra were off to the side, he raised an eyebrow.

"When... when you asked me to look after Tracey should you d... die, it was different. I was hoping if that ever happened, it would be at a point when I was more mature. But this? I love Tracey. And I would love to take care of. But... considering the kind of person I am..."

"Let me tell you a story Korra." Connor said, leaning up against the wall, crossing his arms. "When Tracey was born, I was a complete mess. I had no idea how to take care of a baby, let alone a baby girl because I was an immature jackass. But... Along the way, somehow I grew up. I became the father I needed to be. Tracey helped me mature, and I may not be a perfect guy, but you know the lengths I would go because I love her. Do you honestly think I would leave her here with you if there was even a shred of doubt I thought you were capable?"

"No... but my friends seem to put more faith in me than they should." Korra's eyes darted down. "I'm short tempered. I mean, I practically attacked you when we first met. I can be a real bitch. And... you probably didn't know this, but... but I'm a... I'm a... s... a sl..."

"Promiscuous? Yes, I do know that Korra, but I know that isn't you. After all... You just lost Kallpa, I doubt sex is the first thing on your mind." Connor pushed off the wall and put his hands on Korra's shoulders. "Hey... Just make me proud, okay? I know you have it in you. You aren't a bitch, and you are not a slut, you hear me? If you do let me down, I raised Tracey to be a tough girl, and she will set you straight real quick. But I know that day will never come. You can do it." The Latvian man assured her.

Korra smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around the man, squeezing him tightly. "Thank you. I'm going to miss you."

"Yeah, me too. But I am always a call away. After the war, you can always visit me and Tracey as well, you would always be welcome in our home." Connor put a kiss on the top of Korra's head and smiled. "Her bag is already packed and she already said she had no problem sharing a bed with you if you would let her."

"Of course." As they walked back to Tracey, Korra asked, "Have you told Brigid yet?"

"What? No... Should I have?" Connor asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "She never even crossed my mind."

Korra folded her arms. "Are you still mad about how she treated you when we first met?"

"What? No, of course not, I honestly just forgot about her." Connor let out a chuckle. "I guess I should say goodbye while I am moving Tracey's stuff, huh?"

Korra nodded her head. "Yeah. Want Tracey and I to help?"

"It is only a few things but it would be appreciated." Connor stopped walking and raised an eyebrow. "Where is Tracey?" Connor asked, the girl or Lani not sitting at the table.

Kallpa looked around. "I don't know. Maybe she went to the washroom."

Connor sighed. "I don't know, maybe-"

All of a sudden, something would start stroking Korra's tail delicately.

Korra jumped, the usual odd mixture of pain and pleasure running down her spine. She smiled, however, looking back.

Tracey's own smile shot back at Korra. "You know, you make this way too easy!" The girl announced, rubbing the tail up and down her cheek, loving the soft feeling of the fur.

"You scared me a little." Korra bent down and rubbed her own cheek against Tracey's. "I don't know why, though. Not with your big protector."

"Uh huh... I am so happy you got me here!" Tracey said between the giggles.

"So girls... Should we start moving?" Connor asked.

Korra nodded, lifting Tracey and following Conner, the feverent following closely. "So I've decided the answer is yes. I would love to watch you for as long as you would like to be with me, Tracey."

"Yay! I get to stay with Auntie Korra! Oh..." Tracey ran a hand through her blonde locks. "Daddy finally got that nasty dye out."

"You look really nice." Korra's eyes darted around. "You want to know a secret?"

"What is it?" Tracey asked, bouncing a bit.

Korra softly said, "My hair is naturally yellow too."

Tracey gasped very lightly. "That is so cool!" She whispered.

"Nah..." Korra couldn't help but grin. "You think so?"

Tracey nodded. "We could be matching!" She said excitedly. "And your runty roommate too!"

"Well... I guess I could try it for a bit after my dye burns off." Korra thought for moment. "Though... about Brigid and the 'runty' thing..."

"What? You don't agree she is runty? She is only a bit bigger then me." Tracey pointed out.

"Well, of course she's a runt. Smaller than a runt. But if you're going to be in our room..." Korra chuckled. "I think Sasha called it a Neapolitan complex. What being tiny has to do with ice cream is beyond me..."

Tracey shrugged. "I'll try..."

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Auntie Korra: Part Two

Connor looked over to Korra. "How do you think your roommates will take having a little girl with them?"

Korra thought about the question. "Sasha is so kind hearted. I can't imagine her being opposed. Brigid, on the other hand, might be a little fussy. She feels awkward around children for some reason."

"Because she looks like one?" Both father and daughter asked at the same time.

Korra laughed. "Yeah. Probably. She talks highly of children, but when she's around them, she gets this cute, annoyed little face. Especially when they assume she is a child."

"It is going to be fun teasing little big sister." Tracey said with a mischievous giggle. "You have your tail, she has her height."

Korra could only laughed. "Yeah... you've got little devil inside you, huh?"

"That is Daddy's fault!" The little girl protested.

"No, that is all your mother sweetie." Connor clarified.

Korra opened the door to her roommates' new shared space. "This is our group area. We all spend time here. Share stories, eat, laugh, play chess." She motioned to the door on the left. "And this is my, Sasha, and Brigid's room."

"What about that other room?" Tracey asked as Connor brought in her stuff.

"Those are for Leo, Cayden, and Mikhail," Korra answered. "Our male roommates."

"Oh great, we have to share with boys? I thought Frasher was bad..." Tracey complained.

"Frasher?" Korra smiled. "Who's that?"

"Avril's son." Connor said, shoving Tracey's bags into Korra's arms. "They are both pretty much brother and sister."

"Ah. Good to hear. Don't worry about the guys. Leo and Cayden are brothers, so they're usually busy poking fun at each other, and Mikhail is Sasha's brother, who keeps him in line. Not that he needs it."

The door to the girl's room slowly opened. Brigid slowly backed out, a large box in her hand. "That you, Korra? Cayden said that tongue thing was fun but weird. Fine by me. I thought it was just weird."

"Oh really? Do tell." Connor spoke out loud, crossing his arms.

"What tongue thing? Were you and your boyfriend kissing!?" Tracey asked loudly.

Brigid nearly dropped the box, several bottles clanking together. She turned to the others. "C-Connor I..." She looked down at the child. "Kissing. N-no... I mean... it was... a, um... tongue... piercing. Yeah. We were looking this piercing place, but it was too weird."

Tracey stuck her tongue out of her mouth slightly. "Piercings are ugly in my opinion, please don't get one."

"I won't. Don't worry about it." She glance at the bags. "What's going on?"

Connor ran a hand over his buzzed head. "Well... Brigid I'm-"

"I'm moving in with Auntie Korra!" Tracey said, throwing a fist into the air.

"I... w-what? I don't understand." Brigid carried the box over to the table and scratched her head. "You fumigating your room?"

"No... I'm being shipped out Brigid." Connor said before his daughter could speak up. "To help guard an outpost away from most of the fighting. In the meantime... Korra is becoming Tracey's guardian. She wants to stay, and it will be a good experience for the both of them."

"Oh... I see..." Brigid motioned towards the corner. "Can I... talk to you for a second, Connor?"

Connor looked to Korra and shook his head. "What is with you women and taking me to the side for chats?" The man complained, walking over to Brigid.

"Well, I don't like to be..." Once Tracey was looking around, Brigid punched him hard in the gut. "...violent in front of children, you ass."

Connor let out his breath slowly, rubbing his abdomen. "Damn... Have you ever been told your punches are solid?" He asked. "Cause they are..."

"You weren't expecting me to be here, were you?" Brigid snapped. "Be honest! Where you planning to even tell me you were leaving?"

"I may have sort... Sort of forgot." Connor was this time ready for the punch and brushed it to the side. "Come on, I've been busy, and some thing slipped. I'm sorry!"

"Well, it isn't fair!" Brigid folded her arms and turned around. "You might not like me as much as Korra, but... but I have feelings, you know? And it just so happened that I'm going to miss you..."

Connor smiled warmly and rubbed Brigid on the head. "I know you are Brigid. And I promise... After all this... How about I take you into the Octagon? The real one." The Lativian man stated, crossing his arms.

Brigid stood silently for a moment. "Take me..." She turned around. "You... you mean that?"

"Course I do. Just because I am not famous, doesn't mean I don't have friends. I promise, me, you, having a sparing match in the same place I would have become champion... How does that sound?" Karo asked with a wide smile, holding open his arms to Brigid.

Brigid scoffed. "Damn it. I... I can't stay mad if you're going to make one of my dreams come true..." She stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around him.

Connor chuckled, just enjoying the embrace. "And it isn't so bad. Korra may be Tracey's auntie, but you can be a big sister, so teach her well for me, or you will regret ever stepping into that arena." Connor smirked down at the woman.

Brigid smiled back. "You got it. We'll take good care of her. Just make sure you call whenever you can."

"Of course." When Connor let go of her, something would sneak behind Brigid and sharply two sets of fingers jabbed into sides.

Brigid yelped loudly. She quickly spun around, he gave a bit red from her reaction. "Hey!"

Tracey snickered and ran away behind Korra. Connor laughed and said, "Yeah, she can be a trouble maker." A yelp from Tracey pulling Korra's tail confirmed that.

"Yeah..." Brigid gave him a concerned look. "Are you going to be okay without her?"

"I'll have Avril. Besides..." Connor looked on as she laughed with the alien woman and he smiled warmly. "She will be happier here then isolated on where I am going."

Brigid nodded. "Don't do anything to dangerous, alright?"

"Yeah, you too." Connor turned to leave but a pair of tiny arms around him and he turned, his daughter looking up at him with big, watery eyes. He smiled and picked her up, laying his head against her. "You be a good girl while Daddy is away, okay?"

Tracey nodded and buried her eyes into Connor's neck. "I will miss you Daddy!"

The father rubbed her back and said, "You can call me anytime. I promise, when this is all over me and you will never be apart again. Has Daddy ever broken a promise has given you?" Tracey shook her head and he kissed his daughter's wet cheek. "Your mother would be so proud of you honey."

"I know." She affirmed sadly. "Just be careful Daddy."

"I know sweetie... I know." Connor's hold of his daughter and he shed a few tears himself.

Korra walked over and put an arm around Brigid's shoulder. "This'll be fun."

Brigid nodded. "Yeah. Big sister training for when I see Galen again."

 

[BMPixy]

"Dissolution of the Triangle"
In Orbit of 91 Aquari, Aboard the SSV Mjiwataa
1431 Hours Ailey Standard; June 15th, 2044 / 75.3137

Manu cin Piai let out a small sigh, her eyes dancing across the readouts upon her dashboard. Freighter escort duty was not the most glorious of tasks for a frigate commander, but it was a task that needed to be done. Plus it provided a good look at the galaxy, something that couldn’t be said for the more ‘glorious’ task of serving aboard a dreadnought. Through the Pwinapoku-class frigate’s neural net, Mani sent a small ping to the keel gunnery compartment. A moment later, she got the confirmation that she was being received.

Senna-genzi, Manu mentally began, taking a brief sip from her water pack, how are things down there?

The number two railgun is still glitchy, Senna kan Jehuty replied, going to have to get it checked out once we get back home. The Mjiwataa’s kah feels a bit off too, if you noticed.

Yeah I know, Manu answered, idly asking for a report from the freighters on the status of their repair. A glitch in the jump drive suddenly appeared a few moments after they made their jump from Forseti, so they stopped off in a nearby system to recover and repair. Probably nothing, just a little tense about being off-course. She is a stickler for habit, after all.

That info is more than redundant, Manu-zefu, the other Wahada replied, mirth slipping into his voice. However, before Manu could reply, a vessel wide alert blasted over the neural net.

Unknown vessels exiting from subspace, transponders off. Distance, 2.3 light-seconds, the mental ‘voice’ of Renen cin Mersus droned, the monotone thoughts still weighted with urgency.

Arm weapons, raise shields, push engines to max. Renen-yinad, go to active scanning. We’re going to discover the nature of our guests’ temperament, Manu ordered. The four other Seikron aboard the vessel barked their confirmations, whilst the pilot plotted in the requisite course and punched out a message to the two freighters about the contact. They confirmed, and ponderously began to accelerate to a safe position inside the asteroid belt they were recovering in. Assured of their safety, Manu opened a broadband channel, hoping to resolve this matter peacefully. “This is the SSV Mjiwataa, turn on your transponders and identify yourself,” she said.

Rather than a proper response, all that the quintet of unknown vessels replied with was the flare of power systems - and a moment later, a spray of laser fire, crashing into the Mjiwataa’s shields. Manu cursed, and threw the frigate into a turn, sending a mental command to the gunners to ready an initial strike. Crosshairs popped up on her HUD as the turrets rotated into position, whilst another spray of laser fire nailed the frigate’s shields. Meanwhile, data on the exact nature of their foes began to spill onto the screen, as Renen finished his identification of the enemy ships.

Two heavy fighter class vessels, two bomber class vessels, one scout cruiser class vessel, the Yinad pinged. Markings suggest Vanguard of Odin.

Understood. Gunners, nail the bombers first - don’t want them to get their AC weapons off. Rather than a mental reply, the gunners responded with the gentle thrum of weapon discharges. First to strike were the disruptors, the over-powered pulse cannons crashing into the bombers with all the fury their name implied. The craft’s shields flared briefly under the assault, before being reduced to a nearly opaque spheroid as the bombers barely weathered the storm of fire. Now aware that their prey would not merely roll over and die, the pirates scattered. Under normal circumstances, the following railgun projectiles would have missed drastically, but these were no normal railgun rounds. Unseen to all of the combatants due to the vastness of space, the lead slugs jettisoned a brief burst of RCS fuel, correcting their course to get a better shot at striking home. Four of the eight projectiles fired from the keel quad-barrel railgun turret struck home upon one of the bombers, punching deep holes into the craft and sending it spiraling out of control with the telltale signs of atmospheric venting combined with engine failure.

Unfortunately, the second bomber was slightly quicker on their feet, and managed a last minute duck that the railgun slugs couldn’t respond to, and managed to neatly avoid all but one of the projectiles - and that one only finished off the job the disruptors had started. Now that the range had closed to only a third of a light second - a scant 100k kilometers - the surviving craft began opening up with their short-ranged weapons. Manu swung the frigate back around, hoping to present as small a target to the enemy ships as possible, and this maneuver saved her vessel from a handful of pulse beams belonging to the fighters. However, the cruiser pilot was slightly more keen eyed, and their pulse beams brought the Seikron vessel’s shields to critical levels - and a follow-up fusion blast from the cruiser’s spinal weapon finished it off and scraped dangerously close to the hull of the vessel - tearing a deep rent in the armor but not punching through the pressure hull.

“Missiles away, missiles away!” Senna shouted over internal comms, the convenience of thought being outweighed by the need to shout and provide some substance to the silent space skirmish. True to his word, the keel missile racks began to empty, a spray of well over two dozen missiles pouring forth and locking onto their various targets. The heavy fighters were close enough to the cruiser to use its point defense system to augment their ECM, throwing off enough of the missiles to ensure their survival, though not unscathed. However, the bomber pilot briefly seemed to panic at the prospect of a quarter of missiles bearing down upon them, and hesitated before he struck evasive, still outside the safety blanket provided by the scout cruiser. As such, the missiles struck home, and the Vanguard of Odin craft vanished in a brief plume of fire and shrapnel.

However, the brief flush of victory was short-lived, as the pair of heavy fighters spooled up their primary weaponry. Manu swung the frigate to present the undamaged broadside of the vessel to the enemy ships, but the weapon they had in mind lacked the need to pierce armor. Four bright flashes of blue launched forward, and crashed into the Mjiwataa’s armor, electricity crackling across the hull - and then suddenly Manu was booted out of the system, the failsafes disconnecting her before a fatal overload of electricity could fry her nervous system. Briefly the lights flickered, before switching to a dim violet as the back-up generators got to work.

“EM weaponry, Kos take them,” Manu cursed, ripping off the straps that held her to her seat. A quick run over the systems confirmed her fears - FTL dead, sub-light engines dead, weapons dead, shields dead, life support minimal, sensors picking up boarding craft en route while the surviving enemy vessels began to move to engage the freighters. Now loosed from her restraints, the Wahada reached underneath her seat and removed a small multi-barreled beam SMG along with a trio of charge packs.

“Well, at least communications is still up in the Nest,” the Seikron murmured, slowly approaching the door to the cabin. Hopefully Renen-yin is already sending out the distress message, but… Flashes of memory struck Manu - training videos on the dangers of EM weaponry, the nauseous feeling in her gut as the presenter went into detail on what exactly happened when the failsafes failed to activate in time - but a brief slap to the cheek dispelled them.

Slowly and arduously Manu slid open the door from the cockpit, taking a brief moment to scan the hallway for contacts. A brief thrum in the artificial gravity signified that the pirates had docked, and Manu broke into a sprint, her destination just down the corridor. However, a blast crashed down behind her as the pirates’ breaching charges, filling the corridor with smoke. The Seikron spun, SMG at the ready. A pair of burly bipeds crossed the threshold into the ship, raising and aiming their weapons at Manu.

“Drop the weapon!” one of them barked. A spray of laser fire caught him in the chest, the rapid fire beams tearing through armor and flesh in a moments notice. The second pirate panicked for a moment, and this was enough time for Manu to walk her fire over to him, sending him to the floor screaming as the lasers blasted through his arm.

“No defeat but extinction!” Manu roared in challenge - not hearing the telltale clinking of grenades rolling out of the hatch. A moment later, a wave of high-velocity alloy shards shot through her, and the Seikron fell to the floor - not even realizing she had died.

 

[BMPixy]

In Orbit of Forseti, Aboard the Neutron Star
1421 Local; June 21st, 2044 / 07.3138
Aboard the Sifari Malasa, Consul's Office

“What do you mean, we’re withdrawing!?” Osahar bellowed, stepping forward and stretching up to make herself look as large as possible.

“Orders from High Command,” Tak-sharu replied neutrally. “With the escalation of the war and the recent destruction of the supply convoy, they’ve deemed it unnecessary to continue to risk further collateral damage as a result. Thus, the consulate is being shut down and all staff are to return to home space.”

“And you’re just going to sit here and accept that!?” Osahar shot back. “What happened to those grand ambitions of yours? Of obtaining glory from the trenches?”

“Even I know better than to question High Command, Osahar-ba,” the consul answered. “Especially with my record - I am treading a treacherous coastline as it is.”

“Very well then, Tak-sharu-hiba,” Osahar said, letting out a sigh. “But I shall be staying. I still have work to complete.”

“Osahar-ba, was your forebrain damaged in combat training? All staff are to return to Seikronyr space. Not just those that wish to.”

“Then I shall simply have to no longer be staff, correct?”

“What are you-?” Tak-sharu asked, being cut off as Osahar crossed her right arms over her chest.

“I, Osahar cin Ankhor ya Badka, seek to revoke my cas-” the Seikron began, before Tak-sharu interrupted her.

“Alright, I understand,” he replied. “You need not go that far. I… can have it arranged for you to become attached to the XSDF - our personnel there will remain. But, it will not be free.”

“Name your price, Tak-sharu-hiba.”

The Hibaya thought for a moment, before answering, “Six favors, an explanation, and…” he hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether or not this was the right time for that, but he continued on regardless. “And, upon your return to our space, breeding rights.”

If these conditions fazed Osahar, her expression did not show it. Instead, a look of extreme gratitude crossed it, a short bark of laughter even escaping her throat. “I was expecting you to ask for more. Very well, you have a deal.” A half dozen small disks clattered onto Tak-sharu’s desk, spilling from Osahar’s hand. “And as for your explanation, well, all I can say is that it’s personal.”

“Details, or the deal is off,” Tak-sharu firmly replied.

This seemed to catch Osahar off-guard, evidently having expected her small gambit to work. With a light sigh, the Badka said, “Very well. I am staying because this is my opportunity. After all, I am one of the Trapped Generation - caught between those who obtained positions before we found there were no wars to fight, and those who grew up in and adapted to the new galaxy. I can finally perform the duty that courses through my veins - and I am not to let this chance slip by or have the credit stolen.”

“Hm, is that so?” Tak-sharu asked, arching a brow. “And here I thought it would be some thing about having made friends and not wanting to leave them.”

“That never factored into it. Regardless, does that satisfy your curiosity?”

“I suppose it does. I’ll get the paperwork going as soon as possible,” Tak-sharu said, letting out an unsteady breath.

“You have my never-ending, all-encompassing gratitude, Tak-sharu-hiba,” Osahar said, lowering her head in a slight bow.

“Yes, yes, now just ensure I do not regret accepting that gratitude,” the consul answered. “Otherwise you’ll wish you had never dreamed of this idea.”

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part One

Alice sighed, feeling the urge to rub her eyes and wishing it would actually do something for her. She leaned back, and looked up into the ceiling. "There has to be something I missed. Something... anything..."

She closed her eyes, taking advantage of something most other couldn't; the capacity for complete recall of memories.

--------------------

Almost immediately after the incident, Alice gathered every little piece of Glitch. She wanted to make sure Nick didn't find anything, and she wanted to make sure she didn't miss anything. She asked Hestia for her help, but did not mention the ultimate in seeking him out.

--------------------

Analysis. Lengthy, painstaking, meticulous analysis of every part of Glitch's body. Every scrap, every screw. She started with the parts that likely hard nothing, and quickly dispose of them. Hiding her project was difficult early on, and Alice had to do most of her work in their room, Nick rarely going there. She didn't want to keep it from Nick, but she couldn't get the teen's hopes up, only to crush them should she fail.

--------------------

Down to the key parts. The mother board was fired, and looked like it took the bullet directly. This was the heart. But Alice didn't need heart. She need the brain. The hard drive wasn't much better, having taken an overload of power when Glitch was hit, but it was intact. She download terabytes of data from it, getting everything no matter how insignificant. Once everything whole or relatively whole was copied, she went through the long and arduous process of download each piece of corrupted data, one piece at a time. It was only after she got everything that she could find what she needed.

--------------------

Success! Well, partial success. Alice had found chunks of memories within the data, but none of it mattered without Glitches primary CPU. But by scraping through the bits of data here and there, she found enough to rebuild his CPU. Base information, personality programs, thoughts, feelings, desires, what made Glitch Glitch.

--------------------

Was it all for nothing? Alice had pieced enough of Glitch's CPU to make sure that, if she succeeded, it would be Glitch, not some copy. But what she had wasn't enough. It was as if she had a mind without a brain to put it in. Or a brain without a compatible body. She needed original programming. Base data that had been a part of Glitch since he came into being. She tried so many times to recreate it on her own based on notes Nick had kept, and each time it failed, it was a crushing blow, like having to watch him die over and over again. It wouldn't work! It was like trying to transplant an organ into a body, only to have rejected. Like trying to give a transfusion of the wrong blood type to someone. It just wouldn't work.

--------------------

Alice opened her eyes again, having found nothing helpful in her old memories. There was nothing she could do with what she had. She yelled out in frustration. Afterwards, she turned to make sure her outburst hadn't disturbed Hestia, but the android girl was asleep, sitting upright and connected to a computer while she received updates.

"Updates... that's it!" Alice turned back to the computer and her fingers danced across the keyboard. Whenever she or Hestia need to update their systems, they had copies of their core data backed up in case something went wrong during the update. These were usually erased right after, as they are up so much memory space, but before the update, Glitch's program was much smaller, and it was possible he didn't bother erasing it. After all, he'd have no need to until the memory space it used was needed.

There! In the temporary files from the update program. She would have never have noticed it if she hadn't been looking, but their was a compressed zip file that was much larger then any of the other temp files. She copied it, and opened it, the process taking sometime. But that was fine. The longer it took to extract, the more data was in it. And the more data that was in it, the more hopeful Alice was.

Success! The file contained the key components to Glitch's memories prior to the update! Something was missing, however. The core system data. With this, she could restore much of Glitch's programming, and most of his memories, save for some corrupted data that they would have to fix along the way. But without his core programming, would it be the same? Or would it just be a new Glitch with the same memories?

Alice sat back, wondering if this was enough for her to finally ask Nick for help. She wished she could get help from the other androids. But Hestia couldn't do much, Hermes was unfortunately the last person she could ask about A.I. memories, and she wasn't she Erza had the knowledge beyond how his own body worked. Still, Erza was a lot more advanced then her in many ways. He had a human body without suffering from her limitations when it came to...

"Wireless... data transfer!" In the short time Glitch could have had, Alice had doubted he could transfer anything to a computer, and doubted Glitch was in the right mind to do so. But in the time between then and now, Alice had spoken at length with Erza about his construction, and learned he could compress and transfer his data at alarming speeds, much faster than she expected. What's more, Glitch's programming was much smaller, with less data to transfer. Furthermore, his emotional programming was not as advanced, meaning he had to rely more on logic than emotions. It was possible, even during the stress of saving Nick...

The older memories she had found was the key. It could take her years to search the petabytes of data floating in and out of engineering, but using the combined collection of memories as a filter, she could narrow the search.

Hours later, Hestia awoke to find an ecstatic Alice, clapping excitedly and cheering to herself. "You look happy," Hestia said, walking up to her. "What happened?"

"I found him!" Alice shouted, barely able to contain herself.

"Found who?" Hestia climbed onto a stole and stared at the screen, trying to see what she was talking about.

"I found Glitch!" She pointed at the screen, than tapped a large hard drive plugged into the computer. "During the encounter with Patrick, Glitch must have started copying and compressing his data. Than, when he saw Nick in danger and moved to save him, he transferred as much of his data into the first thing he could link with as he could. That ended up being the old computer we use to sort and filter old date from the ship's main systems to the lab!"

Hestia smiled brightly. "So, this is a copy of Glitch?"

"In many ways, this is Glitch!" Alice exclaimed. "This has all his original programming, plus enough of both pre and post update memories to leave a trail. He must have known we would look for him, or at least hoped so. His personality in there didn't understand how he got there or why, so he's just been sitting in an unused space waiting for someone to find him. With this core data, the personality programming from this, the data and CPU reconstructed from his original hard drive, and his memories, I can... well, bring him back to life!"

Hestia cried out in excitement, grabbing hold of Alice's arm. "Will he be exactly the same!?"

Alice rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, there was a bit of corrupted data. We'll have to fix what we can, and adapt to what we can't. There might be some personality differences, but other than that, he'll be the same Glitch as before."

"Then let's get to work on making his new body!"

Alice thought for a moment, and slowly nodded. "Yeah... but not like before." She stood up and took Hestia's hand. "Let's go. It is about time I introduced you to Mark Exalt."

Mark tapped away at his tablet, his recent outing with a certain someone playing over and over in his mind. He smiled a bit, but it vanished when the door to his lab opened. Without looking up he asked, "Yes, what is it? Yusi, if you are asking for another break to sneak off to see that woman again I swear I will flay you and tan your hide myself."

“Having a little trouble with the staff?" Alice asked, Hestia shyly hiding behind her.

Mark's gaze did not raise. "Not particularly Ms. Fischer but that doe not mean sometimes I cannot go the route of my sister and bust chops. Why are you here?" The engineer asked.

Alice placed her hands on her hips. "Well, nice to see you too. I see you have your mother's bluntness." She walked over, sitting on a stool. She motioned for Hestia to sit on her lap, but the android girl stayed behind her.

"My bluntness is my pride." He retorted, putting his stuff to the side. "And the little one?" Mark asked the tiny android.

Hestia ducked back. Aya shook her head. "Sorry. She's been a little skittish ever since some thugs tried to steal her. This is Hestia. She acts as an assistant in Engineering. She grew from the basic programming in my younger body into her own individual."

"Quite an achievement. Must be a really special girl." Mark walked up to Hestia and knelt down, holding out a hand. "I'm Mark." He spoke formally.

"I'm... Hestia." The girl slowly took his hand. She slightly lifted her dress with her other hand, doing a small curtsie and bowing her head. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Exalt."

"Uh... Huh." Mark looked down at himself and did a slight awkward bow. "So... Why are you here?"

"We want to bring Glitch back!" Hestia said excitedly. She sunk back, and muttered, "I mean... we need help bringing Glitch back, sir."

"Um... Come again?" Mark asked confused, looking to Alice for an explanation.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Two

"My partner Nick has a robotic assistant named Glitch. He was nearly completely destroyed taking a bullet for Nick some time ago. It took a lot of work and a lot of patience, but I was able to reconstruct his program. Now all we need is a body to put it in, but I was thinking we could improve on the original design."

"Nick? Nicholas Cauthon?" Mark asked, sitting down.

"That's right." Alice smiled. "Have you two had the pleasure... well, of course you have, considering the similar interests."

"We have talked mostly during the Domineer work and some other subsequent projects. However, he did come to me the other day, and if not for that I would not have had a pleasant time with Irina Beaumont. We knew each other very briefly when she studied under my aunt and even attended the same college, even though they were not friends really." Mark smiled warmly, an unusual look for his usual cold composure. "Like I said, she is a pleasant person."

Alice had a brief look of sadness, one she was surprised she wasn't able to catch, but she quickly smiled again. "Yes... she really is." Alice reached into a handbag, pulling an oversized external hard drive. "This, in a manner of speaking, is Glitch. I wasn't able to recover and restore everything, but there is enough to be sure it is him and more."

Mark took the drive, turning it over in his hands. "I can probably go over it to make sure you didn't miss anything, and although a Tier 3 body will be out of the question, I am sure I could get together some extra stuff here and there from Tier 1 and 2 models." Putting the drive aside, Mark asked, "So what was that sad look for before?"

Alice's smile dropped a bit. "I don't... what do you mean?" To her side, Hestia shuffled her feet and lowered her gaze.

"I know something is already up and I would prefer knowing what." Mark stated, turning around as he set down the drive. "I am not the best person to usually talk to but you are already here, so?"

Alice shook her head. "It really isn't something I..."

"Alice gets a little upset when someone talks about Nick and Irina..." Hestia tapped her chest. "Hestia can feel it..."

"What for?" Mark asked, sitting back. "Something happen?"

"Hestia, I don't want to..."

"Alice likes Nick, but she doesn't want to get in the way of him and Irina."

"Hestia!" Alice snapped. "That is enough!"

"But it's true!" Hestia looked down at the ground. "Alice lies to herself. But Hestia can feel it through our link."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Alice, I don't know what you think is going on between Irina and Nick, but they are far from romantically involved. In fact, with my talk with him, he just affirmed she was a very good friend of his. He was the one who pushed me to seek her affections after all. However... I can say with a fair degree of certainty who that other person he was truly falling for was." The engineer noted with a nod of his head.

"I-I... I don't... understand. He said he loved her." Alice scratched her head. "Are you say in that... that you..."

"I am currently the one seeking her affections. Nick said he realized that she was not really the one he loved. He just sees her as one of his closest friends now. I am surprised you were not informed of that." Mark said, standing up to adjust his lab coat.

"Nick and I don't really talk about those things. After what happened... before... it has been awkward." Alice shook her head. "Not that I... feel that way... exactly..."

"Well to be honest I do not particularly care about his personal life even if he would rather butt into mine. If there is nothing else Ms. Fischer, that shall be all. I will have the body ready when I can." The engineer informed Alice, turning back to a computer. "I will not give you a date to expect seeing as I have other projects that require my concern as well."

"Of course." Alice stood up. "Thank you, Mark." She walked to the exit, not noticing that Hestia was lingering.

"May I help you little one?" Mark asked, his orange eyes settling on the small android girl.

She stepped forward, and placed her hands against the side of his desk, peaking her eyes forward. "Glitch is important to Big Brother. Can you make sure his body is super duper duper duper special?"

"Um... Well there is a matter of getting an order approved first, and I doubt command would like a big chunk of resources to be put into a non-combat unit. I will at least make him look unique. Would you like a big body too? That way you and this Glitch can match?"

"You... You mean like..." Her eyes darted back and forth, and she whispered, "...a teenager?"

"If you wanted, or at least a young adult. I could get your body sorted alongside Glitch's. You two would be the same age physically. Probably the same age or a bit older than Nick physically as well. However, you will still be you. Your consciousness would just be transferred from one body into another."

"Not a copy, right?" Hestia ducked down a bit. "I don't want there to be two Hestias. Than Hestia wouldn't be special."

"Do you have a design in mind? If so, write it down before you go so I have it when I go to order Glitch's body." Mark told her plainly, tapping away on his tablet.

Hestia jumped up, quickly grabbing a pen and paper. Her eyes darted back and forth rapidly as she devoted a large amount of processing power so as not to waste Mark's time, and wrote at an impressive speed only an android could pull off. "Here," she said, slipping the sheet containing a surprising amount of fairly detailed descriptions towards him. "Thank you very much, Mr. Exalt."

"Yeah, of course little one." Mark said slowly, taking the sheet and skimming it at first to see what she wanted.

Hestia bowed her head. "Um... good luck!" She took off out the room before Mark could question some of the more questionable requests, hoping taking those out would make him ignore some of the other things he normally wouldn't allow.

Mark sighed and looked over these 'requests'. The list requested a form that was close enough to Alice to make them appear related, but distinct enough for people to see a difference. She wanted a slot for her current body's personal atmospheric element condenser mechanism to be installed. She want a modest body, attractive but not making her pop out like Alice's did. There were distinct measurements down to the smallest detail. It also included a number of unusual requests, including a pulse laser cannon like Alice's, a retractable jet pack, a retractable opposable tail, prehensile hair, missile fingers, retractable claws, and laser eyes.

Leaving Mark to take out his red pen, Hestia rushed to catch up with Alice, who was so distracted with her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Hestia gone. After a few more hours of work, so more pep in Hestia's step, they returned to their room, the pair relaxing with a pair of books. Alice read an adventure novel based on a video game from the 1990s, surprised by how much she was enjoying it, while Hestia had a considerably heavier read, Dante's Paradiso in its original Latin.

After a half hour of quietness, the door opened suddenly, coming as quite a surprise to the girls as a familiar youth stepped in, dressed in the same dark blues matching his hair. He had a fair bit of smudge on his face. "I'm back guys." He called out, having spent the past few weeks back alone in his workshop.

Alice smiled softly. "Hey, Nick. We were starting to think you were avoiding us," she joked. Or, at least, half joked.

"I could never avoid my favorite girls in the universe. Work has just been ridiculously busy. Killed me that I wasn't coming back but my workload has finally dimmed down so here I am!" He proclaimed, holding out his arms victoriously, though it only further showed how dirty he had gotten from work.

Hestia giggled childishly. "I'm glad you're back, but you're stinky. You better at least change before getting in your bed."

"Would you guys actually mind I use your bathroom?" Nick asked, pointing to the bathroom off to the side. "I'd use the public showers but they are... Occupied."

"Of course, Nick. It is as much your bathroom as it is ours," Alice answered.

Hestia tilted her head and asked, "Do you need someone to wash your back?"

"Excuse me?" Nick asked, going to grab pajamas. "That is a bit out there for you Hestia."

Hestia pouted. "I was just trying to help. But if I'm not old enough, Alice can help you."

"It isn't your age so much as you've never asked." Nick glanced to the side, pushing up his glasses. "What do you say Alice?" He asked a bit teasingly, but it wasn't completely so.

"Oh! Um..." Alice rubbed her neck nervously, and slipped off her bed. "Sure. Why not?"

Nick blinked in surprise. "Wow... Really?" He asked, grabbing his clothes and moving to the bathroom.

"Yeah, why not? I mean... we're both mature individuals, right?" Alice walked to one of the dressers and started pulling out clothes. "Go ahead in and I'll join you in a minute."

"Alright." Nick said after a bit of debate in his head, shutting the door but not locking it. He went to the shower, turning it on, and when it was hot enough, he undressed fully and stepped in, closing the curtain, letting the water loosen his muscles. He let out an audible sigh of relief as everything loosened.

After a couple of minutes, Alice stepped inside the washroom, and slowly looked the door. With a towel wrapped around her and an apprehensive look on her face, she said, "I'm coming in, Nick."

"Yeah... Go ahead..." He told her in a highly relaxed voice.

 

[MarineAvenger]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Three

Alice placed her towel to the side, exposing the body that was literally made to look perfect by Jean Francois. She stepped through the curtain behind Nick, keeping her eyes up. "Pass... pass me the soap and the loofa."

Nick glanced to the side, grabbing the items and holding them back to her without looking at her. However, he didn't seem so embarrassed, just calm. "How have you been holding up Alice? Been a while since we talked." He stated smoothly.

"I've been okay. Really busy, but who isn't nowadays. I've had... a-a project keeping me occupied." She slowly run the loofa along his back, scrubbing away some grime he had somehow managed to get there. "How... about yourself?"

"I've been... Getting along alright. Keeping my routine, exercising more, eating more regularly and healthier. Helps counteract all the hard work. Been isolated though. Time to goof off is slowly going away. Can't tell you how much I've been wanting to come back to you... And Hestia of course."

"We've missed you. And you look a lot healthy." Alice quickly shook her head. "Not that I'm looking, of course."

Nick tilted his head to the side. "I don't mind if you do." The engineer responded, putting his head in the stream of water.

Alice was silent for several moments. "You... you seem different, Nick. More... confident. Did something change?"

"Well the hot water helps..." The teen spoke. "And... Well, other things. Wanna trade places so you can get some water?"

"Y-yeah, sure." Alice stepped forward, keeping her eyes raised, though they couldn't help but dart down at his chest, noting he was, indeed, in much better shape. "What... other things?"

Nick seemed to ignore her question, taking the loofa and soap but instead of washing her back, he slowly put his hand on her upper back, slowly moving his hand lower at stopping at the middle of it. "You know it always amazes me about you being an android. Perfect in so many ways that make you a machine... But have so many tiny things that make you more human in my eyes. You truly are a piece of work Alice."

Alice jumped a bit, not expecting his touch. "Well... th-thank you, Nick. That is... probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. You're not so bad yourself."

"You deserve the kind words for everything you have done... And a hundred times moreover." He stated, beginning to wash her back but then immediately went silent after that, the only sound being the running water.

"Nick... what's... going on with you? You seem very different, and I don't think it's the water. Did something happen?"

"...you don't need to hear it." Nick said slowly.

Alice flinch, clenching her teeth. "What are you talking about? I... I thought we promised to share things with each other now."

"Some things are best left unsaid, what can I say?" Nick asked with a shrug.

"Don't... don't give me that!" Alice had to resist the urge to turn around. "You're acting like... like you were replaced by pod-person Nick, and you're not even trying to hide it! What is going on with you?"

"What can I say? I have a job I absolutely love, even though it is hard, I have so many awesome friends, things are just good..." He answered, though his tone held onto something more.

"Bullcrap!" This time, Alice did turn around, though she had the mindset to cover herself up. "You're acting strange, and you're going to tell me why right now!"

Nick let out a small sigh, closing his eyes. "I... I can't Alice. I'm sorry. I just... Can't." His tone said it all had to do with her.

Alice's eye twitched. "Is that so?" She shook a bit in anger. "Fine than..." She pushed past him, and moved the curtain to the side.

"What are you doing Alice? Come back! Don't just... Leave again because you are angry." He said in a low voice, his hands subconsciously crossed over himself as well.

"Then why won't you be honest with me?" Alice asked angrily, but stopped. "Have I done something to upset you? Something wrong? Does this... have something to do with Ir... someone else?"

Nick closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Come back in the shower and I will tell you... Everything you want to hear."

Alice sighed, but slowly closed the curtain. She took her previous place in front of him, let the water pour down on her.

"Alice, my mind is made up." Nick spoke slowly. "And this time it is staying that way. I love you. I love everything about you, from your perfections to your imperfections. To your sometimes annoying over-protection to the way you always seem to rely on me. I just... couldn't tell you. With what... Everything that happened and what you did with Diggle, to me realizing with Irina's help where my feelings really were... It all seemed to be working against me. I am afraid you won't want me after everything, and I would have rather had you in ignorance with a possibility rather then have you know and deny me." The engineer said outright, not holding back. "I... Love you Alice... And not a sisterly love like Hestia... A deep love, that I feel like I have had even before I ever met you. You... You just don't know..."

Alice stood in silence for a solid minute, contemplating her response, the water running down her face. She looked down at her hands, and softly asked, "Do you... remember when we first met? How... how excited you were to meet me?"

"Of course. How could I ever forget that moment Alice?" Nick asked in a low whisper, barely heard over the water.

"You probably don't realize how happ you made me feel than. Not only did you think me equal to a human, but you did it without making thinking I had to be human. You made me feel it was okay to just be an android. Aside from Sunny... I can't think of anyone else who did that for me. It was then... that early on... that I knew I wanted to be by your side."

"So for... All this time you... You've...?" He asked a bit disbelieving.

"Loved you? Maybe. But not in that way." Alice smiled as she closed her eyes. "I felt like you were someone I could trust from almost the beginning. Soon, you became you of the best friends I've ever had. I loved you... but mostly in the same way I love Sunny. I think it was around the time you and Irina became close... when I realized I lost my chance... that I..."

Nick let it seep into him piece by piece. After a bit, he reached out and grabbed Alice's wrist. "Now is the time for us to make up for that. Irina and me... We are just friends now. I have made up my choice Alice. If it is not you, then I will fight whoever I have to in order to give you happiness you deserve." He said with determination. The same raw determination he had when confronting Xanatos.

"I don't think it'll have to come to that." Alice slowly turned around, this time not bothering to cover herself. "People will say things, you know. About you. About your choice to be with... with a machine. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I don't care what people would say. And if they have anything negative to say about you, I would like to see them say it to my face!" He said, staring only at her face.

Alice stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I realize how hard all of that must have been to say. I should have been the first one to say it. But it means so much to me. You have no idea."

Nick finally blushed furiously but he put his arms around Alice too, holding her tightly as if he was waiting to do it forever. "I love you so much Alice."

"I love you too, Nick." Alice pulled back, and leaned forward again, this time for a kiss. Nick gulped and leaned forward to kiss her back, though his inexperience with anything other than a peck on the cheek was showing. Alice didn't care, relishing in the touch of his lips. She smiled widely as she stepped back. "You... You can look, you know."

Nick's cheeks went red and he stubbornly looked down to take Alice in. "Well no surprise you look so perfect... You are probably the prettiest woman I've ever seen. I am surprised men wouldn't kill each other just to see you like this..." The engineer scratched his wet hair.

Alice giggled. "You are such a good flirt without even realizing it. And you're starting to look a bit buff yourself." She rubbed her neck. "Did you... want to..."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Want to...?"

Alice chuckled. "You know... I'm here. You're here. We're both... in the buff. We could... take the next step, if you're ready."

The soap flew out of Nick's hand because he squeezed it so hard, his eyes bulging a bit. "Well... Um... You see... Uh... You know... I wouldn't... If you did... I... Uh... Wouldn't... Say..." Nick looked to the side. "...no." He confirmed blushing.

Alice laughed. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, pressing against him.

Nick felt the pounding of his heart in his chest. "Why do I let you hold so much influence over me..." He wondered out loud as he closed his eyes for what came next.

 

[MarineAvenger]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Four

A long time later, in the bedroom

Hestia laid on her stomach, slowly kicking her legs and coloring while whistling 'Close to You' by the Carpenters. She wondered what was taking Alice and Nick so long, but than again, Nick was awfully dirty. A knock came from the door, and she went to open it.

On the other side was a short Latina, with a gentle smile and a lab coat. Hestia sunk back a bit, but tried not to show her worry. "Hello..."

"Hello, dear." The woman look into the room. "Is Alice Fischer around."

Hestia pointed back. "She's in the shower. Do you want me to get her?"

"That won't be necessary." The woman knelt down, and whispered, "Hopscotch?"

Hestia tilted her head a bit. "You... You wanna play hopscotch?"

The woman's smile widened, and she shook her head. "Just testing to make sure something was done correctly." She suddenly frowned, and reached forward, anally adjusting Hestia's shirt. "Where is Nick. Still in his lab, I presume."

Hestia shook her head. "He's in the shower too."

"I thought you said..." A big grin spread across the woman's face again. "I see." She walked into the room, and bent down in front of everyone's shoes, starting to untie them. "I heard around the labs that Mr. Exalt has commissioned for two android frames with more advanced positronic brains than usual. I take it one is for you, and the other is for... Nick's little friend? I do hope that means you were able to recover him. He was a bit annoying, but in a charming way."

Hestia stepped forward, watching the woman with confusion. "Are... you a friend of Big Brother?"

"More of an acquaintance." The woman walked past Hestia, scoffing at the clothes thrown about around Alice's bed, and started cleaning them. "I came because all new model androids have certain XSDF frequencies built into them. Should the TFD decrypt them, they could potentially take an android over. This is no different from your average mind control on a person, but should they be able to assume control of someone on board the ship who gets around as much as you..."

Hestia still looked confused. "I don't... so what are we supposed to..."

"Use this." The woman walked over to Hestia and handed her a sheet of paper and a usb drive. "This is a specific firewall made to specifically combat systems employed by the Yakuza."

Hestia's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "Y-Yaku... I thought you said TFD. Are they here?!"

The woman shook her head. "Don't worry, no one is on board. But the TFD was able to get them on once. They could do it again, and this time they'll expect more in return. This is just a safety precaution, nothing more."

Hestia relaxed a bit, and nodded. The woman nodded back, and walked to the door. "Wait! Who are you?"

The woman thought for a moment before answering. "Tell Nick... his best silent friend dropped of a Vorpal sword. I'm sure he'll understand."

With that, she was gone, shutting the door and leaving a bewildered android girl. Hestia was still staring at the door when the others stepped out of the washroom.

Nick rubbed his head with a towel, feeling better than he had ever felt for a long time. "What's up Hestia? Why are you staring at the door like that?"

Hestia seemed to snap out of a daze, and looked back. "Do you know a lab tech named..." Her eyes flashed red for a moment. "Maria Ortega?"

"No... Why?" The engineer asked, plopping onto the bed wanting Alice to join him.

Alice did just that, and asked, "Was this woman at the door?"

Hestia nodded, and walked over, offering the flash drive and notes on it to Nick. "She said this was a... a Vorpal sword. And that you would understand what that meant."

Nick's eyes widened and he quickly sat up, grabbing the usb and notes quickly from Hestia. "God damn it..." He said, sighing as he quickly laid back down. "Can never be just forward, can he?"

"Who is is?" Alice asked in concern, reading the note of his shoulder. "Firewall?"

"It must have been another friendly visit from Xanatos himself." Nick told her, setting the notes and flashdrive aside. "I will concern myself with it in the morning. Hestia, in the meantime... Read up on Lewis Carroll." The engineer laid his head down on the pillows, and when Alice came to join him he wrapped his arms around her. "Should we tell her me and you are together now?" He whispered.

As Hestia started to hastily climb on the bed, Alice whispered back, "If she's observant, us laying here should be evidence enough."

Hestia climbed behind Alice, shyly peeking over her side at Nick. "Why are you two laying together like this? Are you... boyfriends and girlfriends now?"

Nick smiled. "Yeah Hestia... Me and Alice are finally together."

"Is that why you were in the shower for so long?" Hestia dropped down so her eyes were barely visible and whispered, "Were you doing dirty things?"

"U-Uh... No of course not. You only get clean in a shower after all silly. We only talked." Nick assured her, even though it was a lie.

"Hmm..."Hestia narrowed her eyes, but dropped it, hoping she'd be included in more grown up talk with a more grown up body. Instead, she asked, "Does that mean you're going to be Hestia's big brother... for real reals now?"

"Yep, and I can't tell you how happy I am to have you as a sister Hestia." Despite deep down not wanting to, he scooted away from Alice and tapped the space between them.

Hestia quickly moved between the two, pressing her back against Nick as if competing for attention. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Uh... Yeah, go ahead."

"Do... do you love Hestia... because she's a little kid?"

"Course not sweetie. I love you because you are Hestia. And no matter what I will always love you." Nick confirmed putting an arm around her waist.

"So even if Hestia was a big girl... as big as Big Brother... you would still love her no matter what?" Alice rose an eyebrow at the question, but said nothing.

"Odd question... But of course I would. As strictly a sister though. Alice is the only woman for me now." The teen looked at Alice with a smile.

"Odd question... But of course I would. As strictly a sister though. Alice is the only woman for me now." The teen looked at Alice with a smile.

Alice smiled back. "The feeling is mutual." She looked down at Hestia. "Why do you ask?"

"Just... asking..." Hestia muttered, her eyes sagging as her body's sleep timer told her it was bedtime.

Nick chuckled as she fell asleep and said, "Too bad no part two, but this is just as good."

"You're really sweet, Nick." Alice lightly brushed his cheek. "My only regret is not telling you how I felt a long time ago."

"Same... But we have all the time in the world now, don't we?" He asked slowly, though there was a hint of worry in his face.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked softly, keeping a loving look on her face.

"I don't know... Just... The same old thing I guess. I hate to imagine what would have happened if you had truly fallen in love with Diggle... And just the fact you slept with him before me... I'm sorry, I'm being stupid, huh?"

"You're not... and I'm sorry. Regardless of how things turned out, I'll never stop regretting that. If it makes you feel any better..." Alice trailed off, looking away.

"What? You can tell me." Nick assured her.

Before she could tell her body not to, Alice's cheeks turned a fine shade of red. "Y-you... You were better. By a-a long shot."

Nick smiled, though he had a slight red tint himself. "Considering you were the first... Best lover ever."

Alice interlaced her fingers with his. "Same here."

Nick closed his eyes. "I love you Alice." He let out a deep yawn. "So much..."

"I love you too." Alice returned, smiling happier than she had in a long time.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Five

A week later.

Mark sat back and sighed, waiting for his guest to arrive. If he knew how hard it was to track down that little girl, he would have just gotten her room number when she asked him to make the body.

The door opened, Hestia out of sight behind a tall desk until she walked around it. She rubbed her hands nervously and said, "H-hello again, Mr. Exalt."

"Hello Ms. Fischer." Mark said simply.

As if intimidated by Mark, Hestia hovered near the door, and quietly asked, "You wanted to see me?”

"Of course." The engineer said, standing up. "You want your new body, do you not?"

Hestia slowly nodded, not looking as enthusiastic as she probably should have, though a smile did cross her face. "I didn't expect it to be ready so soon. Especially with everything I asked for."

"I gave you basically nothing except that matter thingy you asked for that changes your clothing." Mark told her crossing his arms with a sort of ticked off look that she wasted his time. "None the less... I did not get to keep this job because I was lazy."

"O-okay!" Hestia sulked back a bit, obviously resisting the urge to hold up her arms. "I-I'm s-sure it is perfect, Mr. Exalt, sir!"

"Why are you acting all jittery?" The engineer asked as he stood up.

"Because Alice isn't here to prot..." Hestia clammed up. "I-I... I mean..." She rubbed her hands nervously again. "I'm sorry. Just... s-someone told me when that nice alien android came, a-a lot of people wanted to take him a-apart... a-a-and I..."

"No one will hurt you under my watch." Mark responded coldly. "If anyone tries something, they will deal with me."

Hestia sulked down a bit more. "Okay... but..." She slowly looked up at Mark. "But you're scaring me a little. You... sound like you're angry at me."

"I sound like this to everyone. However, was all those additions you put really needed?" He asked as he led the small girl out of the room.

Hestia nodded. "I want to be able to protect other people like Alice. When I was thinking about it, I realized I can't... really fight... at all..."

"And that is why I made you just a normal body with only that clothing device being installed. However, you will also be able to adjust hair length and color at will as well as eye color." Mark led her to a side room and opened the door, ushering her in.

"But what if I need to save Big Brother from something?" Hestia insisted.

"Why would you need to do that? You are not a combat frame?" Mark asked skeptically. "If it means that much, I will download some defense programs in your new body if you wish."

"Okay." Hestia smiled up at him. "Will my body look as real as Alice's?"

"Extremely real. No one will be able to tell the difference." Mark led her over to a table, where a body was covered in a blanket. It was slightly taller than Alice was, with an absolutely beautiful complexion. However, the two lumps under the blanket indicated that the chest was bigger than Hestia had outlined, probably just as big if not larger than Alice.

Hestia looked it over it, at awe with it. "It looks so... wonderful.. And it really looks like grown up me!" She poked the chest. "Are these the boobies? Why are they so big?"

"That... Happens to actually be a mistake. One on my part from a late night, sorry. However, I do not think they should be too much a problem. If they are, I will make changes." Mark said to the small girl.

"I think it looks just fine." A british voice said from a corner of the room.

"Yeah... I wonder what Alice..." Hestia gasped, and she quickly turned, hope in her eyes.

Standing there in dark blue clothes almost resembling an old nobleman, a tall figure with pale skin, yellow eyes and raven black hair, stared down at the young girl. He took off his large circular hat and knelt down. "Hestia." The man said in greeting.

Hestia slowly approached him, Looking as though she might cry. "Is... is it you?"

The man smiled, holding open his arms. "It feels good knowing you are well Mistress Fischer."

Hestia rushed into his arms, holding him tightly. "I missed you so much! I'm so sorry you got hurt!"

"It is hardly your fault little one." Glitch smiled, running a hand through Hestia's pink hair. "Is Mistress Alice and Master Nick okay?"

Hestia nodded. "Losing you almost destroyed Big Brother. But Alice refused to let you go. She felt so bad. Please, forgive her."

"Mr. Exalt explained briefly what happened but I do not remember what happened. All I remember is that worm Patrick Diggle with a gun, and Mistress Alice on the ground."

"Well... from what I was told, Big Brother stopped Diggle with a weapon of his own. After that, Big Brother had to go into the infirmary because his implants were burnt out. Then he got better, and made up with Alice, and Alice made the robot dogs, and Big Brother got new implants, and then Alice found you, and then they started kissing, and than I guess you got your body."

Glitch smiled. "Well... We got time to clear up what you just said later. For now... It seems you have a body to jump into."

"Yeah..." Hestia looked back at it, and rubbed her wrists nervously. "I'm... I'm scared, Glitch. Will you hold my hand during?"

"Of course Mistress Fischer. It is my pleasure to serve." He spoke calmly, holding out his hand with a comforting look.

Hestia took it, and smiled at Mark. "I'm ready, Mr. Exalt."

Mark nodded, leading Hestia over to sit her down in a chair, knowing this would take a long while.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Six

A week later.

Mark sat back and sighed, waiting for his guest to arrive. If he knew how hard it was to track down that little girl, he would have just gotten her room number when she asked him to make the body.

The door opened, Hestia out of sight behind a tall desk until she walked around it. She rubbed her hands nervously and said, "H-hello again, Mr. Exalt."

"Hello Ms. Fischer." Mark said simply.

As if intimidated by Mark, Hestia hovered near the door, and quietly asked, "You wanted to see me?”

"Of course." The engineer said, standing up. "You want your new body, do you not?"

Hestia slowly nodded, not looking as enthusiastic as she probably should have, though a smile did cross her face. "I didn't expect it to be ready so soon. Especially with everything I asked for."

"I gave you basically nothing except that matter thingy you asked for that changes your clothing." Mark told her crossing his arms with a sort of ticked off look that she wasted his time. "None the less... I did not get to keep this job because I was lazy."

"O-okay!" Hestia sulked back a bit, obviously resisting the urge to hold up her arms. "I-I'm s-sure it is perfect, Mr. Exalt, sir!"

"Why are you acting all jittery?" The engineer asked as he stood up.

"Because Alice isn't here to prot..." Hestia clammed up. "I-I... I mean..." She rubbed her hands nervously again. "I'm sorry. Just... s-someone told me when that nice alien android came, a-a lot of people wanted to take him a-apart... a-a-and I..."

"No one will hurt you under my watch." Mark responded coldly. "If anyone tries something, they will deal with me."

Hestia sulked down a bit more. "Okay... but..." She slowly looked up at Mark. "But you're scaring me a little. You... sound like you're angry at me."

"I sound like this to everyone. However, was all those additions you put really needed?" He asked as he led the small girl out of the room.

Hestia nodded. "I want to be able to protect other people like Alice. When I was thinking about it, I realized I can't... really fight... at all..."

"And that is why I made you just a normal body with only that clothing device being installed. However, you will also be able to adjust hair length and color at will as well as eye color." Mark led her to a side room and opened the door, ushering her in.

"But what if I need to save Big Brother from something?" Hestia insisted.

"Why would you need to do that? You are not a combat frame?" Mark asked skeptically. "If it means that much, I will download some defense programs in your new body if you wish."

"Okay." Hestia smiled up at him. "Will my body look as real as Alice's?"

"Extremely real. No one will be able to tell the difference." Mark led her over to a table, where a body was covered in a blanket. It was slightly taller than Alice was, with an absolutely beautiful complexion. However, the two lumps under the blanket indicated that the chest was bigger than Hestia had outlined, probably just as big if not larger than Alice.

Hestia looked it over it, at awe with it. "It looks so... wonderful.. And it really looks like grown up me!" She poked the chest. "Are these the boobies? Why are they so big?"

"That... Happens to actually be a mistake. One on my part from a late night, sorry. However, I do not think they should be too much a problem. If they are, I will make changes." Mark said to the small girl.

"I think it looks just fine." A british voice said from a corner of the room.

"Yeah... I wonder what Alice..." Hestia gasped, and she quickly turned, hope in her eyes.

Standing there in dark blue clothes almost resembling an old nobleman, a tall figure with pale skin, yellow eyes and raven black hair, stared down at the young girl. He took off his large circular hat and knelt down. "Hestia." The man said in greeting.

Hestia slowly approached him, Looking as though she might cry. "Is... is it you?"

The man smiled, holding open his arms. "It feels good knowing you are well Mistress Fischer."

Hestia rushed into his arms, holding him tightly. "I missed you so much! I'm so sorry you got hurt!"

"It is hardly your fault little one." Glitch smiled, running a hand through Hestia's pink hair. "Is Mistress Alice and Master Nick okay?"

Hestia nodded. "Losing you almost destroyed Big Brother. But Alice refused to let you go. She felt so bad. Please, forgive her."

"Mr. Exalt explained briefly what happened but I do not remember what happened. All I remember is that worm Patrick Diggle with a gun, and Mistress Alice on the ground."

"Well... from what I was told, Big Brother stopped Diggle with a weapon of his own. After that, Big Brother had to go into the infirmary because his implants were burnt out. Then he got better, and made up with Alice, and Alice made the robot dogs, and Big Brother got new implants, and then Alice found you, and then they started kissing, and than I guess you got your body."

Glitch smiled. "Well... We got time to clear up what you just said later. For now... It seems you have a body to jump into."

"Yeah..." Hestia looked back at it, and rubbed her wrists nervously. "I'm... I'm scared, Glitch. Will you hold my hand during?"

"Of course Mistress Fischer. It is my pleasure to serve." He spoke calmly, holding out his hand with a comforting look.

Hestia took it, and smiled at Mark. "I'm ready, Mr. Exalt."

Mark nodded, leading Hestia over to sit her down in a chair, knowing this would take a long while.

 

[MarineAvenger]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Seven

Mark stepped back, rubbing his eyes as the transfer was finally done, turning to look at Hestia's new body. "Can you hear me Ms. Fischer?"

"Where..." Hestia slowly opened her eyes, automated systems analyzing the room in advanced ways her older body didn't have. It was a lot to take in at once, but her new brain had the means of doing that as well. "Mr. Exalt?" she said in her usual voice.

"Welcome back Hestia." Mark said, standing up to stand over her. To one side in a chair, Glitch was in sleep mode, but like he promised, he was holding Hestia's hand. "He was tired but yet he insisted on staying here." Mark explained.

"Did it work?" Hestia lifted her free hand, examining it. "It all feels so... different. So strange. Am I... alive? Was I ever really alive anyway. Things seem... clearer. Like my mind has more room to expand. To grow. It's... overwhelming..."

"I am sure it will be in the beginning. But you are you. Nothing changed yet other then to make your programming compatible with the body. You are running perfectly normal." Mark assured her.

Glitch's eyes opened slightly and he sat out, and when he saw Hestia, his eyes widened and he stood up. "Mistress Fischer, are you okay!?" He asked with great concern.

"Yeah... yeah. I-I think so." Hestia sat up, holding the sheet against her. "It will just take some getting used to. Thank you for staying by my side."

"I could never allow any harm to befall you or Mistress Alice and Master Nick. I live to serve after all." He told her with a determined tone.

Hestia slowly shook her head. "You're your own person now, Glitch. With your own body. You shouldn't feel obligated to serve anyone."

"Nonsense, that is my sole purpose! Whether it be serving Master Nick or Mistress Alice or... Or even you Mistress Fischer!" Glitch protested.

Hestia slowly ran a hand across his hand, figuring it was part of his programming that would have to be updated. "Mr. Exalt? I don't suppose you have some clothes, Do you?"

Mark nodded, handing her a bag of just regulation clothing, saying, "In the coming week come back and we will get that matter converter in you but for now this will have to do." Then the engineer left, though Glitch showed no sign of leaving.

Her modesty intact, Hestia turned away before lowering the sheet. "Whoa! They're so big!"

"Like Mr. Exalt said, he could change them if you do not like them." Glitch reminded Hestia.

"N-no... I think... They're fine..." Hestia held her throat for a moment. After a bit of thought, she spoke in a more mature tone. "I should probably let my voice grow up too, huh?"

"Well... I suppose but I do like your high pitched girly tone over a more womanly one. Maybe you should find a good balance." Glitch noted as he sat down, looking at her back with a small, proud smile.

Hestia adjusted her voice again, and this time spoke with a voice that was mature, but retained most of her girlish charm. "You know... we haven't told Nick yet. Though... I didn't tell Alice about this." She quickly slipped on a bra, though had some trouble hooking it.

Glitch noticed and got up, hooking it for her. He then put his hands on her shoulders. "Then we tell them together." He stated in a low voice.

Hestia nodded in agreement, and asked, "Are you... okay? Alice said there might be something of you lost or changed." She grabbed a pair of underwear and slipped it on under the sheet.

"I feel fine Mistress Fischer, please do not worry yourself about me. Only just a few scattered memories lost, that is all." Glitch assured her.

"Because you now you need to be honest with us. I'm sure you feel a bit lost with all the time you've lost." Hestia slipped on her shirt first, then bent down to put on her pants.

"It is true it is all disorienting, but I have always been quick to adapt. Please... Do not worry about me Mistress. I am not worth the worry, I assure you." Glitch removed his hands from Hestia and put his hands behind his back as if he shouldn't have been touching her to begin with. "I am sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Hestia slipped on the pants, but paused getting dressed to look back at him. "Why are you... acting so strange?"

"I am just a servant to you three, ready to serve at any moment." Glitch looked down. "Please... Just get dressed so that we may go Mistress."

Hestia frowned, and slipped on her socks and shoes. "Alright. Let's go find the others, Glitchy."

"Glitchy?" The android asked, adjusting his hat. He looked at her face and frowned himself. "Why that look?"

Hestia pressed her hands against her face. "You... you don't like? Am... am I ugly?"

"No, you are the most beautiful girl I remember ever seeing but your frown, if you don't mind me saying, does not belong. I want to see your pretty smile of course." Glitch told her, stepping around the table so they were facing one another. He stepped forward and grabbed her wrists, slowly pulling them away from her face. "Let me see it." He whispered kindly.

Hestia couldn't help but oblige, a wide smile on her face. "Were you always so charming, Mr. Glitch?"

"I... Do not know." He smiled at her for a long while, just sort of looking at her as he ran a hand up and down her arm.

Hestia giggled childishly. "You're tickling me, Glitch."

"I'm sorry." He said with a laugh. After he was done laughing, he blinked a few times and slowly leaned forward.

Hestia leaned back, he child personality still present. "What are you doing, Glitch?"

"Oh... Nothing... I'm sorry Mistress." Glitch said, standing up and stepping back.

Hestia giggled again. "Did you want a grown up kissy, Glitch?"

Glitch blushed. "N-No... Mistress Fischer."

"Oh..." Hestia looked a bit disappointed, but quickly smiled again and took Glitch's hand. "Come on. "Let's go find Alice and Nick."

"Yeah..." As he slowly followed behind her, Glitch considered asking the question, and finally when they were about halfway back to the room, he did ask. "Did you want to kiss Mistress?"

Hestia walked in silence for several moments before asking, "I don't know. I've never had a kiss. Only the big girls are suppose to do that. But I guess I'm a big girl now, huh?"

"Yes." Glitch answered simply. "I am sorry about before. It was wrong of me to try and do something like that. It will not happen again from me, I promise."

"Not... not even if I... I want you to kiss me?"

"That... Would be different. If you asked, I would happily do so." Glitch said matter-of-factly.

Hestia stopped outside of engineering, and turned back. "We can try it... if you'd like." She closed her eyes, and leaned forward.

Glitch looked a bit stunned, sighing as he pushed up his hat and leaned forward himself, lucky that he and Hestia were around the same height as he kissed her, putting his arms around her after a bit.

Hestia simply pressed her lips against his, smiling lightly. When they were finished, she held her hands to her lips. "Did we do it right?"

"How do you feel?" Glitch asked.

"I don't know..." Hestia searched her feelings. "Happy? Yeah... happy."

"Then it worked." He touched her cheek. "Thank you. I could never do that with my shell, yet I always wanted to try."

"No problem." Hestia chuckled. "It was really nice."

"We should do it more after we get done with what we need. I've been wanting to try eating soon." He told her with a smile.

Hestia laughed. "Yeah, we'll need to do that soon." She led them into engineering towards Nick's lab. "But first... you have someone to reunite with."

"And you have someone to surprise." Glitch teased. "Do you think Master Nick and Mistress Alice will be in the workshop together?"

"Most likely. They've been with each other a lot over the past week." Hestia shrugged. "I guess they like kissing."

"Kissing? Why would Master Nick and Mistress Alice be doing that? Just what has happened in my absence... So much..." Glitch let out breathlessly.

"Like I said, they started kissing a week ago, and keep doing it." Hestia careful walked, still getting used to the body, and didn't want to fall over in Engineering. They arrived at Nick's lab, and Hestia knocked.

The door opened and Nick stood there dressed as usual, looking up at the new grown up Hestia with a confused look. "Can I help you?"

"Um... y-yes... sir..." She motioned to Glitch. "My friend here is someone I am sure you'd like to meet. Someone you have met before."

Nick looked over at the man standing to the side, his eyes immediately narrowing. He reached to the side, producing a crowbar. "Alice... I think Xanatos is paying another visit." He growled.

"Excuse me?" Glitch asked.

Alice quickly joined his side, raising her finger, the end glowing green. "Enough of these games! We want to know who you really are, and we want to know now!"

 

[MarineAvenger]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Eight

"It is good to see you unharmed Mistress Alice. I was hoping that you would remain well after what Patrick Diggle did to us." Glitch stated.

"Us?" Alice looked deeply into his eyes. After a moment, she dropped her arm, and immediately rushed forward, holding him tightly. "It worked!"

Glitch chuckled, patting Alice on the back. "I suppose it did."

Nick just looked confused, not lowering his weapon/tool. "Alice... what worked?"

"Nick, this..." Alice looked back at him, wiping away a few tears. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to get your hopes up for nothing. Nick... this is Glitch."

Nick's face seemed to get even more stern and he took a step back. "Alice... what... whatever this is... this isn't funny. Glitch is dead... there is no way..."

"Nick... all those nights I was working late, but avoided telling you what I was doing, I was restoring him. I found a backup hidden in one of the old wireless computers in here, combined that with copy files from his last updates and what I could salvage from his old body. This... is the result." She held a hand to her chest, and ride the other one. "I swear."

The crowbar slipped out of his hand and Nick fell backwards, speechless, as if he was looking at a ghost. "N-No... he is... Glitch is dead. I spent... all that time mourning... trying to get over him... and you... you were... trying to bring him back without telling me? I moved on Alice... and now... you are... opening this old wound up..." Tears were in his eyes.

Alice rushed over to him. "Nick... In sorry. I wasn't sure if I could do it. That's why I didn't say anything. But, please... I swear this is him." She looked back. "Please, say something Glitch."

Glitch merely looked at Nick with a sad look, then looked to Hestia. "Maybe this may have been a mistake..."

Tears streaked down the young engineer's cheek, unable to come to terms with the fact his best friend may be alive. "Alice... how... you should have told me... I could have helped..." He covered his eyes.

"You were distraught," Alice insisted. "This was a one in a thousand shot at best. If we had failed... it would have been like losing him all over again. I-I... I'm sorry, Nick..."

Hestia lowered her head, and grasped Glitch's hand. "M-maybe we should go..."

"Yes, perhaps that would be best Mistress Fischer." Glitch noted.

Nick's eyes widened, but this time they were out of surprise, almost a bit of anger. "Hestia!? Is that you!?”

Alice looked just as taken aback. "W... w-what?"

Hestia smiled sheepishly. "S-surprise!" She frowned at Glitch. "I'm starting to think these surprises were a bad idea..."

"Is this why you were asking me why if I would still love you if you were bigger!?" Nick asked.

"Please Master Nick... just calm down. I happen to quite like the change." Glitch cut in trying to defuse the situation.

"Don't tell me to calm down! And I thought I drilled it into you not to call me master!" Nick snapped.

Glitch merely bowed. "My apologies... Nick. Come Hestia..." Glitch put a hand on her arm lightly. "Please Mistress... we all just need time to adjust. Let us grab that food."

Hestia nodded sadly, and walked off with Glitch. Alice stood in stunned silence for a bit before hanging her head. "Nick... I just didn't... I'm sorry..."

"You couldn't even tell me it was a possibility!" He yelled at her crying, pulling his legs close to him as if all that grief was flooding back. "I... I moved on Alice... I got over that void... and now he is just... back! How am I supposed to react? And Hestia... I... I should have known better then to know she was just asking innocent questions…”

"I didn't know about Hestia!" Alice insisted. "And I was incredibly lucky with Glitch! If I told you I was trying to get him back, would you have reacted any better, or would you have told me it was hopeless? And what if we got so close, only to fail? You think you're hurt now? You would be absolutely crushed!"

Nick was silent but threw himself into Alice's arms, crying as he pressed his head against her shoulder.

Alice held him so tightly. "I'm sorry, Nick. I understand. But... but he's back. And he's waiting for you to accept him."

"I-I know I just... Just can't right now." He said muffled against her. "Alice...?"

"Yes, Nick?" Alice gently stroked his hair.

"You... You were doing that... For me... Even before we started dating?" Nick asked.

Alice slowly nodded, unsure if admitting it would make things better or worse. "I felt so bad. It... it was my fault. I had to try and make things right."

Nick slowly nodded, pressing his face against her harder as his arms wrapped around her tightly. "I love you so much Alice..."

"I love you too..." Alice sighed. "I'm sorry I kept this from you. I should have told you, despite the risk."

"No... Please... Just... It's fine. I just need time. I just need time..." He repeated, looking up at her, grabbing her face lightly.

Alice sighed. "I... I didn't know about Hestia. I can't believe Mark would make her a body without telling me first..."

"Maybe he just thought she was free to make her own choice." Nick suggested. "I mean... I guess... Her having an older body is not so bad. Will just need getting used to." He looked up at Alice with a smile. "I mean... Are you really that against it?"

Alice stepped away, placing a hand on her head. "Damn it. If I say yes, it makes me look like a controlling bitch, but if I say no, it undermines the way I feel right now. I... I just wish she told me. Do you... think she was afraid I'd say no?"

"I hate to say it but... Yeah. She looks up to you even more then me I think, so your opinion weighs heavily with her. I just hope me and you... Didn't make things worse..."

***

Glich walked slightly behind Hestia as she quickly walked to the cafeteria, a look of worry on his face. "Mistress Fischer...? Are you well?"

"Yeah, of course," Hestia said, the tears rolling down her cheeks saying otherwise. "Why wouldn't I be? Just because Alice and big brother are big stupid heads!”

His look only fell more and he rushed forward, grabbing her arm. "Hestia..."

"Hestia stopped, but didn't look at him. "What?" she asked softly.

Glitch put his arms around her slowly and hugged the now fully grown woman. "I love your body. In fact, you are much cuter then Mistress Alice or your younger body could have ever been." He told her, running a hand through her long pink hair.

"R-really?" Hestia smiled gently. "You are very kind, Glitch. I... I like your new body, too. You are very handsome."

"I am outshone by you Mistress Fischer." Glitch asserted, staring blankly at her a few moments before his hand went up and cupped her cheek.

Hestia leaned into it. "Please, Glitch. Just Hestia is fine."

"Sorry Mistress Fischer." Glitch said, analyzing Hestia's face and he went to kiss her again, something popping into his mind.

Hestia leaned back. "Glitch... what are you doing? You've been acting strange this whole time."

"What do you mean Mis-... H-Hestia? Did you not say kissing made you happy? Judging on my knowledge of the situation, it is then my job to make contact with a part of the body and then kiss the girl. My purpose is to serve people, and I am working to make... Hestia happy." Glitch explained as if it was something she should know already. "Is Hestia just no longer happy with Glitch's performance? If just told I can more better serve you."

Hestia stepped away from him. "That... that was my first kiss... and you only did it out of some... formula in your head telling you to serve me, not because you actually wanted to?"

"Of course. I was designed to detect and read human emotions and adjust myself to the situations after all. My main prerogative is to try and make the lives around me better. Right now, you are the person I want to make better." Glitch told her with a smile, stepping towards her.

Hestia stepped back. "No! Th-this is wrong! You are not my servant! I-I wanted you to kiss me because..." She rubbed her arms uncomfortably. "To hear that everything you have down was to please me like I was some master to a slave... it makes me feel... dirty..."

"Please Hestia, do not act like that." He asked her. "Why don't we just continue to go get our food? You are clearly just confused right now, and perhaps we should let your mind clear."

"I am not just confused!" Hestia stomped her foot angrily. "I thought you liked me! But you don't! I'm not your friend, I'm your master! I don't like that!"

"Hestia, I believe you are being unreasonable here..." Glitch tried to protest with logic rather than emotion. "Of course I like you, and you can be a friend and a master, I must say I am having a hard time coming up with a reason why you may be making things larger than they really are.”

Hestia pointed to the side, at a reflective monitor Glitch could see himself in. "That is why."

"...all I see is my reflection." He informed Hestia.

"What I see is the reflection of a person, not a floating servant. You are an individual now, and no one has a right to call themselves your master. For you to act otherwise with anyone, even another android, undermines the hard work Alice and the others are putting into getting androids like us recognised as sentient beings with rights."

"Hestia... you are a very strange girl." Glitch told her. He suddenly stormed over to her, putting his arms around her so she could not escape as he went forward and kissed her, slightly pushing her back against the wall. It was almost like one of the exchanges Hestia walked in Nick and Alice having.

Hestia struggled at first, but eventually just let him, a tear running down her cheek. He just doesn't understand. It isn't fair. Was he always like this? Or is this because of the lost data?

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Nine

It was a long while before Glitch stopped the passionate kiss, a bit of spit connected between the two until it fell. "That was of my own free will Mistress Hestia. I wanted to do that. When I first tried to kiss you after you woke up, that was programming. In the hallway, that was what I wanted to do. The compliments I gave you were me, and when I first called you by your first name was me. There are now hundreds of different programs telling me what I should do but none of them are telling me to say this..." Glitch reached down and took her hands. "I love you Hestia Fischer. I am certain that is my choice alone."

A few more tears fell down her cheeks. "Do... do you really mean that?"

Glitch nodded. "I was wondering which program was compelling me to stay by your side and hold your hand but it was none of the programs I was running, so I came to the conclusion it was of my own free will. Your first kiss... that was me showing my affection. It was my first one ever after all."

Hestia reached forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I-I'm so happy! So we are the bestist friends after all!"

"No we aren't..." Glitch told her. "That kiss I had just given you was a kiss of love and passion, usually kept between a boyfriend and girlfriend. Order of actions usually go just brief hand holding, check, hugs, check, light kisses, check, passionate kisses, check, groping, which has yet to be done, foreplay which has also yet to be done and then sexual relations with each other. However time between events are usually varied. All of which are not done by friends but a couple."

Hesita blushed. "So... we are the boyfriends and girlfriends now?"

"Is that something you want Mistress Hestia?" Glitch asked.

"If... i-if it really is you... and not some programming... than..." Hestia slowly nodded.

"And how fast would you like to check off those other milestones?" He asked matter-of-factly and serious.

Hestia blushed even fiercer, and looked away. "I... I-I... I think I should... grow up a little before we start doing the... the naughty things..."

"You are grown up." He pointed out to her. "To be honest you were always about as mature as Nick was sometimes before coming to the XSDF, and sometimes you were more mature than he was sometimes."

"Oh... right..." Hestia smiled, sticking out her tongue a little. "I guess I should get more adult programming from Alice first, though..." He smiled quickly faded. "If... if she'll ever talk to me again..."

"She will." Glitch told her. "Knowing Mistress Alice she will forgive almost anyone. And if she doesn't... You have me to keep you company and to protect you for now on. I have no reason to leave you."

Hestia kept her head down as they reached the cafeteria. "But... we did all this as much for Nick as you. But he's mad at all of us now..."

Glitch shrugged, reaching over as the got in line, putting his hand on Hestia's hip. "If he never comes around... well then he never deserved the respect me and you gave him, but from my past memories... I can tell he will be over things by tomorrow."

"You... you really think so?" Hestia looked down at his hand, unsure why he was holding her there.

"I know so." He said. Glitch followed her gaze and said, "Oh... I'm sorry... programming sort of took over. I am sorry Hestia I-" The android was cut off by someone clearing his throat behind him.

"Hello you two." Mark said, having his usual plain look. In his hand he held two USBs. "I got working after lunch and managed to compile your updates. For Hestia, the rest of her programming, from self defense to some of the other stuff women her age know how to do, and for Glitch, I ran a troubleshoot on some of your programming and found that some of your systems were accidentally overclocked. This should fix you both right up and should just take a few moments."

"Thank you, Mr. Exalt." Hestia took hers. "Thanks... for everything."

"Yeah, yeah... just plug those into the back of your heads and they will download automatically. Good luck with your new lives." He told them sort of halfheartedly as if he didn't really mean it and walked away.

Once they got their food and sat down, Glitch helped Hestia plug in her drive and when her stuff was downloaded allow her to help him. When they were both done, Glitch rubbed his eyes. "That feels... like I want to be sick..." He stated out loud, though he noticed to a great surprise he felt dramatically different. "My programs... that is odd... they... they are mostly dormant. I barely hear them."

"Yeah? So... so you're just you now?" Hestia asked with a optimistic smile.

"I'm... better then I was." Glitch said holding his head. "What did you get? Mark said that you got self defense and some of the other stuff women your age know how to do. What... sort of stuff do those things entail, and anything else?"

"Well... I feel things are.. generally clearer. Like seeing the world through a better pair of glasses. And a few... um... mature things..."

"You're blushing." Glitch pointed out, staring down at his food, poking it with a fork. "So this is food, huh?"

"Uh huh. It is fun. We don't have to eat it, but it is fun. And it makes the organics feel more comfortable." She took a bite of a french fry with ketchup and smiled. "So good."

Glitch slowly put the pasta he had grabbed to his mouth, biting the noodles apart as he chewed for a bit and swallowed. "Not bad."

"There are so many yummy things you can eat," Hestia assured him. "Just don't eat too much. Our bodies can only process and dispose of so much."

Glitch nodded. "Thank you for the advice Hestia. You are very helpful. I am grateful."

"I'm trying. This is new for the both of us." Hestia's eyes darted back and forth. "I think some of the guys here are checking me out."

"Well I think that-" Glitch's pasta fell off of the fork and onto his jacket and he cursed a bit. "Damn it... excuse me while I go clean up Hestia." The male android got up and he left the mess quickly.

When he was gone, moments later three guys came to sit at Hestia's table. "Hey there, name's Tyler." The man, obviously the leader, started. "Couldn't help but notice you are new here. And might I may be so bold... you look very beautiful."

"Oh?" Hestia giggled. "Why, thank you. That is very kind of you to say."

Tyler waved away the other two guys and they left grumbling, Tyler frowning at them but his cheery smile soon returned. "You have a name beautiful?"

"Hestia Fischer." She extended her hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, mister Tyler."

"Thanks. I am honored to meet you Ms. Fischer." Tyler smiled. "You're not going to break my heart and tell me it is Mrs. Fischer are you?"

"Heheh... no, I'm not married, silly." Hestia moved a hair out of her eyes. "I just grew up today, after all."

"Oh, so it is your birthday then?" Tyler chuckled. "Well I must say that I feel quite special you are letting me spend it with you. Anyone get you a present yet. I may have one in mind to celebrate your new adulthood."

"No, I haven't got a present." Hestia rubbed her hands in anticipation. "What do you have for me?"

"Well... Yeah. Actually I do." Tyler reached into his pocket, producing a ring. "It was... Going to be for a girl I was going to give myself to but... I learned that she was sleeping around with a bunch of different men and she left me for them... I had... Such a big surprise. I was going to treat her to such a wonderful night... Just me and her."

"Oh... that is so sad!" Hestia pouted a bit. "She should be ashamed of herself! Do you want me to spend the night with you?"

"You... You don't mean that." He said, holding the ring out to her. "It is your birthday. It should be me keeping you company instead... Not the other way around." Tyler blushed as he looked at Hestia and shook his head. "I'm sorry... I am overstepping my right..."

"No, of course not." Hestia took the ring. "You're just trying to be nice to me on my birthday." She slipped the ring onto her finger, looking at it in the light.

It was a pretty ring, simple but elegant with three pink stones. "Hey... Hestia... Please... Allow me to... Have the honor... Of escorting you to my room. Today was supposed to be a special day for me... You are finally an adult. Why don't we celebrate? I... I heard of some fun things from my friends about what a guy may do with a girl... Alone... Um... Ahem... I'm sorry is it weird? I just... Would like... My first time being with such a... Lovely girl. Y-You don't have to! Of course you don't but... I promise... I will try my best to make you not regret it..."

"N-now?" Hestia looked in the direction of the washroom. "Glitch might come back while we're gone. How long does it take to get a spaghetti stain?"

"W-Who? Your friend from before? Oh, I think I saw him leave. Did he say he was going to the bathroom?" Tyler asked.

"He... h-he left?" Hestia's shoulders slumped. "W-where did he go?"

"I don't know. All I saw was him walking passed the bathroom. Seems we... Both were abandoned, huh?" Tyler stood up and lowered his head. "I-I'm sorry... It was wrong of me asking you to come back to my room. I... I will just go before I make a bigger fool of myself more than I already have..."

"N-no... it's okay." Hestia slowly stood up, and smiled at him. "Let's go back to your room, and you can show me those things we can do."

"R-Really!?" Tyler looked around red faced and leaned in whispering. "You know the stuff is... It is... Lewd? You would... Really... That... That would make me the happiest man in the galaxy..."

"L-lewd?" Hestia lowered her shoulders. "I...I-I've never done... lewd things. Can you... teach me?”

"W-Well... I only know what my... Friends told me but... I could try." Tyler smiled widely and he ran over taking Hestia's hand. "L-Let's go! My room isn't far!"

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Part Ten

"O-okay." Hestia tried her best to hide her apprehension as she walked with him.

When they arrived at the room, Tyler closed and turned, looking giddy. "U-Um... Well... Uh... I guess... Take off your... Shirt." Tyler told her, beginning to take off his shirt.

"T-take off... my shirt?" Hestia slowly slipped it off, her eyes going back and forth in worry. Is this okay? Glitch said... but Glitch ran off without me... I…

Tyler walked up to her and put his hands on her arms. "You... You are so soft... So beautiful... So... Perfect." He went to kiss Hestia.

Hestia pulled away. "Wait. Glitch... Glitch said... kisses are supposed to be for my boyfriend. Are... a-are you my boyfriend now?"

"I can be... For a while at least." He went to kiss her again.

Hestia let him this time, but there was something wrong with the kiss. It didn't feel that much different on the surface, but deep down, it felt off. Still, she didn't want to be rude to her new friend, so she smiled at him when he pulled back. "That was... n-nice."

"That's not even the best part sweetie." Tyler told her as he went to kiss her neck and touch her chest.

Hestia flinch, but giggled. "That tickles. This... this is nice."

"Oh, I'm sure." As he started pushing Hestia to the bed there was a sharp knock on the door. Tyler turned with a furious look and told Hestia, "Sorry dear... Let me take care of this." He walked to the door and unlocked it, opening it quickly. "What do you wan-" The man was kicked to the floor with great force and afterwards a figure walked in with his long midnight blue fancy clothing, piercing yellow eyes glaring from under the brim of a large and similarly colored hat.

"Mistress Hestia! What do you think you are doing in here!?" Glitch demanded with an authoritative tone.

"Glitch?" Hestia looked between the men. "A-after you left me... Mr. Tyler said he was going to bring me here to have fun. 'Cause it's sorta my birthday. Why... why did you leave me?"

"Because a pair of men said they needed my help. They were dressed as engineers but upon closer inspection I saw that the uniforms were wrong and rushed back to you to find you gone. Luckily... Mr. Exalt had the mind to give me at least... A connection to you. I could tell where you were. Now come, let's get going." He told Hestia sternly.

"Now hold on!" Tyler protested, getting to his feet. "Hestia was having a good old time with me. Who are you to say what she can and can't do?"

"Because Hestia is my girl and it is my job to protect her, Nick, and Alice!" Glitch said with determined certainty, but when he saw the half dressed Hestia and he frowned. "However... Mistress Hestia... If you would... Rather stay here with him and not go with me I will... Leave you be to do what you want. You are not a little girl any longer."

Hestia, looking a bit confused, smiled and giggled. "Oh, Glitch. You don't have to be like that. Mr. Tyler was just going to show me something fun. How about he shows both of us? The more the merrier, right?"

"W-What?" Tyler asked. "No, he can't join in!"

Hestia gave him a disappointed look. "He can't. W... w-why not? He's my friend.”

"Are you daft girl? I was going to sleep with you! You know, roll around in the hay, mess up the sheets, bump the meat?" Tyler asked her, now just annoyed his plan was ruined.

"He was attempting to use you for sexual purposes Hestia. This leech does not care for you at all, only your body." Glitch looked on the verge of beating the man within an inch of his life but kept his cool.

Hestia covered herself up. "But... I... I know you said we might do some lewd... I thought you just meant kissing and... some touching. I... we just met. We can't do that so soon."

"Why not? It is just sex, it doesn't mean anything." Tyler told her.

That earned a growl from Glitch and he went over to Hestia, putting an arm around her. "You should be ashamed of yourself." He told Tyler. "Come on Hestia... Mark was nice enough to get me a temporary room while I was adjusting to my body. We can go there. Just put on your shirt." He told her softly, rubbing her arm comfortingly.

Hestia nodded slowly, reaching down to pick up the shirt. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know." She looked at Tyler and bowed her head. "I am sorry, Mr. Tyler. I can't have the sexual intercourse with you. I do not know you in that way."

"Yeah, whatever. Just screw off. Can't believe I tried getting with you. You aren't even that beautiful. That pink hair looks absolutely stupid. And I want that ring back!" Tyler yelled at her.

Hestia pouted angrily. "M... my hair does NOT look stupid!" She quickly yanked off the ring and threw it at Tyler. Underestimating her strength, the ring wizzed past his face and made a small dent in the wall, two stones popping out of it.

"W-W-What the hell was that you crazy bitch!? That flew like a bullet! You... Y-You're a freak! A freak! Get out! Get out now!" Tyler yelled. "I lied too! You're no one special to me. I've slept with plenty of women! All better then you would have been."

He continued harassing Hestia, but Glitch had enough, punching the man in the head, sending him sprawling to the floor. Luckily, he was barely able to contain his strength. "You watch your mouth! Hestia is a smart, strong, funny... Stunningly beautiful girl! You are nothing but a dog who uses women for his own pleasure, and be grateful Mistress Hestia even graces you with her presence!" He yelled out Tyler, who he had accidently knocked out. Glitch nudged him with his foot, but he was still breathing.

Hestia slowly slipped her shirt on, her face the picture of barely contained depression. She grasped Glitch's hand and muttered, "Come on. Let's go..."

He turned to her, his face showing anger but when he saw her it vanished with worry as he put both of his hands over her one. "Do not even believe a single lie that came out of the wretch's mouth! What I said, that is you Hestia, that is what you are, not what he did!"

"Thank you, Glitch. But it isn't that." She looked away in shame. "I just feel so stupid. It was obvious what he wanted. I should have known better..."

Glitch frowned, but he kissed Hestia with all he had, and it wasn't until he was done that he said, "You never have to worry about this again. You are my girl and any man who tries to use you again will deal with me. You asked me before if we were boyfriend and girlfriend but I never gave you a straight answer. Yes! The answer is yes, we are. And I promise as long as me and you are together I will never leave you again, or let any person use you!"

Hestia smiled, a tear forming in her eye as she hugged him tightly. "You're the best boyfriend ever, Glitch."

Glitch looked stunned a moment before he smiled and rubbed Hestia's head. "And you are the most wonderful girl I know Hestia. Come on... I am sure you are tired. I only have one bed so we will have to share."

"Okay." She tightly grasped his hand. "Let's get out of here before this doofus wakes up."

Glitch chuckled as he walked besides Hestia, holding her hand just as tightly as he brought her back to now their room.

"If... it It is okay with Alice... do you think I could move into here?" Hestia asked.

"I think she would be okay with it... If not a little suspicious. Are you... Sure you want to stay with me? I mean... You won't have much privacy, and it will be a tight fit on the bed..." Glitch warned her, looking over at her to see if she was really okay.

Hestia nodded. "It'll be fine. I don't need that much privacy, and I can move my bed in later. As long as you don't mind sharing your bed with me."

"Why would I mind?" Glitch asked. "You can sleep in my bed all you want."

She nodded, and rubbed her eye. "Do you... mind if I use it now? I don't think this body was fully charged before use, if you know what I mean..."

"Yeah, of course you can. Do you... Want me to lay down with you too?" He asked her.

Hestia slowly nodded. "Yes, please. I don't want to spend my first night in my new body alone."

He nodded as he led her to the bed, and he softly told her, "I promise you never have to be alone again."

"Thank you, Glitch." She slowly slipped under the covers. "I'm... I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier."

"You deserved to." He told her as he crawled under himself. "I'm... I'm sorry I let that boy take you away and almost use you. I can't tell you how worried I was I would have been too late."

"That you cared so much is apology enough." She curled up on her side, and pressed her head against his chest. "And... it was pretty cool how you punched him out..."

Glitch smiled and he put his arm around Hestia. "That ring he gave you was stupid." He said. "I promise... I will get you a real ring, and one much more pretty than anything that bozo could ever hope to get you."

Hestia closed her eyes, nuzzling up close. After a while, she whispered, "Glitch. When... did you decide you loved me?"

"When?" Glitch smiled, and he stroked her hair. "The moment I first met you."

"Really?" She smiled. "Was your programming advanced for that? I'm not even sure mine was."

"I doubt it but... Somehow I knew. I was little before. You were little before. But now... We are both big." Glitch whispered back to her, running his hand down to touch her own hand.

As Hestia's artificial breathing slowed, slipping into sleep mode, she wrapped her fingers around his. "Thank you, Glitch. I love you too..."

Glitch kissed her softly on the lips and slowly he fell asleep himself. "Goodnight..."

 

[MarineAvenger]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Lazarus: Epilouge

Next day

Nick walked next to Alice a bit nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. "At least Mark gave us the location of their room... I really hope they accept our apology." He told the android next to him.

"Me too," Alice muttered, her expression still one of slight anger after she chewed out Mark for not telling her about Hestia.

"Did you have to be so harsh with Mark?" Nick asked.

Alice sighed. "I... was I really that harsh on him?" Her face softened a bit. "Did I go too far?"

"Uh... Yeah." Nick told her honestly. "You tend to do that a lot."

"Hmm... I guess I do..." Alice shrugged. "Well... I'll apologize later. First, let's worry about these two." She walked up to the door they were directed to. "Wanna do the honors?"

"Sure." Nick went to knock on the door and when his fist hit it, the door slowly swung open, Nick turning to Alice with a raised eyebrow as he entered and immediately stopped. "Uh... Alice..." Nick whispered. "Don't come in here!"

"Why?" she asked, of course not listening and walking inside.When she came inside, Alice would see Glitch and Hestia in the same position they fell asleep together in, both their hands together with Hestia's head resting against Glitch's chest. Alice's eye twitched, and she slowly balled her hands into fists. "Hurry up and reunite with Glitch before I kill him..."

Nick gulped. "N-Now... Alice, we don't know the story behind this... Uh... Remember what we just got done talking about with overreacting?" Nick reminded her nervously.

Alice slowly relaxed, nodding her head. She cleared her throat and walked up behind Glitch. "Wake up!"

Glitch jumped awake, looking around tiredly and when he saw Alice he raised an eyebrow. "Mistress Alice? May I ask how you got in the room and why?"

"The door was open. And we came to talk to you. Now my turn." Alice leaned down, glaring. "What are you doing in bed with my little Hestia?"

"She went through an ordeal yesterday and brought her back here because Hestia wishes to share a room with me. She did not wish to be alone the first night in her grown up body." Glitch responded matter-of-factly, looking over at her with a soft smile as he brushed her cheek with his hand. "That's right... She also told me she loved me." He remembered.

Alice's eyes softened. "And... how did you respond to that?"

"How else?" Glitch asked in a low tone as she continued brushing her cheek. "I told her I loved her too. She wanted us to be boyfriend and girlfriend like you and Nick had done... She was so happy when I told her yes."

"I see..." Alice stood up straight and folded her arms. "However... I am her big sister, and her guardian. You can not date her until you ask me for permission..."

"Can I date Hestia, Mistress Alice?" Glitch asked sincerely.

A smile spread across her face. "Of course you can, Glitch. I could think of no one better. But... there is one more person you should talk about it with." She looked at Nick. "You two have a lot of things to talk about."

Glitch's eyes narrowed a bit. "I suppose we do."

Nick sighed and he stepped forward. "Look... Glitch... I'm... I'm really sorry buddy. It is... it is just I was destroyed after you died... like... like a part of me died when you did. I... I moved on... came to terms with your death. So when you... just happened to be alive again I... I couldn't take it. I... my point is... Glitch I..." Tears started welling up in his eyes.

Suddenly, a hand was placed on top of Nick's head and he looked up, Glitch staring at him with a smile, nodding his head as he ruffled his hair. "Apology accepted Nick. It is good to see you alive and well."

"Y-Yeah Glitch... you too." Nick suddenly sprang forward, wrapping his arms around his best friend.

"So... what are your thoughts on me and Hestia dating?" Glitch asked.

"It doesn't matter to me, but hurt her and I will make you regret me ever writing your first line of code." Nick threatened as he laughed.

Glitch chuckled as well. "Now... I think you both owe someone else an apology. She felt horrible yesterday." Glitch put his hand on Hestia and he began shaking her.

Hestia's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she took a moment to remember where she was. "Is it morning already? I..." She let out a yelp at the sight of Alice and Nick, pulling the covers close even though she was fully clothed. "Um... hi."

"They came here to apologize. I already told them about us dating and got both of their approval as well, so it is official." Glitch told her, squeezing her hand under the covers.

"Oh... good then." Hestia looked away. "I'm sorry, you two. When I thought about Glitch getting a new body... I should have told you. I'm sorry."

Alice let out a long sigh. "I understand why you didn't. I... I'm sorry I made you feel like you couldn't share with me."

"So... you're not mad?" Hestia asked.

Alice shook her head. "Of course not. I love you too much to be."

"And hey, I already told you I would love you regardless no matter how you were Hestia. I will always love you. That is what big brothers are for after all!" Nick assured her with a thumbs up,

"So... you'll still be my big brother?" Hestia asked with a smile.

"Well... big being in a sense..." He said with a chuckle. "You are taller then me now."

"Oh... good point." Hestia laughed, sticking her tongue a bit.

"Alright." Alice motioned for Hestia to come with her. "Us girls need to set some things up. Your position in Engineering. Registry. Extra clothing."

Nick rolled his eyes, scratching his head as he said, "Yeah, I guess us too Glitch. Need to get you up to speed and get you reacquainted with everything to make sure everything is okay. Not that I don't trust Mark but..." He didn't finish that sentence.

Glitch nodded his head, but didn't let go of Hestia's hands. "I promise, I will see you later. Not like I can hoard you for 24/7."

"Of course." Hestia gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I can't wait until then."

"Yeah, me neither. And don't worry..." Glitch leaned into her ear to whisper, "I will get you that ring soon."

Hestia blushed as she stood up and walked over to Alice. The older android put an arm around her sister's shoulder, saying, "Tell me all about your first day as a grown up," as they walked out, leaving the original duo.

"Well Glitch... Ready to get back to work?" Nick asked the android.

Glitch got out of bed slowly and looked down at Nick with a large smile. "Lead the way Nick."

 

[MarineAvenger]

Branching Avenues (Note: Takes place before Reshuffle.)
Part One

Leo fell to the ground with a grunt, wiping the spit from his mouth as he groaned, holding his head. “Why did I agree to so this?”

“I don't know, that is your problem, not mine.” Cayden remarked, standing over his brother, adjusting the boxing mitt he had on.

Rolling his eyes, Leo slowly got up and stretched his back. “Well, this just further cements the point that I am no fighter.”

This time, it was Cayden’s turn to roll his eyes. “You have fought before.”

“Yeah, but they were not ex-Rangers turned Space Marines.” Leo noted. “Big difference.”

“Come on, you hurt us Rangers. We are much better than Marines.” The soldier gave a smirk as he put a hand on his brother’s shoulder, the two sharing a laugh as they both exited the ring and grabbed their towels, earning a water break.

“So things between you and Brigid going smoothly?” The younger Walker inquired.

“Like a baby’s butt.” Cayden responded simply.

“Come on, don’t be weird. Unless this is you trying to tell me I am an uncle now?”

Cayden chuckled, shaking his head. “No… as much as we love each other that is a ways off. Funny. You know a person for years and then start dating them, it just feels right.”

Leo’s shoulders slumped. “Wish I knew what you mean.”

Leo’s brother looked a little concerned as his mouth twisted. “Still no progress with Sasha?”

“Nope. Barely seen her too, which is the most worrying. Been hearing some bad things.” I really hope this has nothing to do to what she confessed to me. I want to be there for her… No matter what. He thought silently to himself.

“Yeah, I’ve heard some things too. I am sure if she was in a bind she would confide in you buddy.” Cayden encouraged, putting an arm around his brother.

“I hope so but… I don’t want to pressure her into thinking if she doesn’t tell me everything, then I will hate her or something. That would be the opposite of what I would want. I want her to want to sit down with me and tell me about her day, and let me help her through things and to just-” Leo stopped when he saw the look his brother was giving him. “Fuck off Cayden.”

“Hey,” The soldier began, holding up his hands defensively. “I won’t say anything about my brother crushing hard on Mikhail’s sister.”

“Yeah… and that’s another thing. Mikhail would kill me if he found out how much I love Sasha.” Leo pointed out with a defeated tone.

“Why do you say that?” Cayden asked.

“Dude, you know why.” Leo said, shaking his head.

“Bethany.” Both brothers said at the same time.

After a while of silence, Cayden talked again. “Best advice I can give you is to just be true to what you feel about Sasha. Whatever funk she is in, she will take it at her own pace, and let her. You care about her, you are not her father or brother though.”

“Wish I was more…” Leo grumbled.

“Wish all you want, it is the actions you take that will win her over. Just be your usual self, and it is bound to happen. When it finally does, it will all be worth it.” Cayden said with a hint of optimism and a small smile.

“You really think so?” Leo asked with a hint of a smirk.

“Time will tell.” Cayden said, stepping away from his brother.

“Gee… that really gives me answers.” Leo responded with a defeated sigh.

Cayden cracked his neck and pat his brother’s chest. “Not a god… even your awesome big brother doesn’t have all the answers.”