Retribution

[Clown_of_God]

Again, Rena canted her head to the side in slight confusion. What? European girls didn't act like she just had? Mentally shrugging, she smiled and twisted about on the ball of her foot. It was bath time and she wasn't about to miss this opportunity. Not many places had running water still, or at least none of the places she had bed did.

 

"Well, I'll see you boys later. You said the left side? What is it, a giant outdoor bath or something?"

 

Without waiting for a response, she made her way through the halls towards her destination. On the way, she looked at the paintings hanging on the walls and the decorations that were strewn about. This place screamed Renaissance Era, a cathedral meant for a king. Rena was also curious about Winston and Martha's standing. There was something about them that hinted they were of noble standing prior to the outbreak.

 

Finally, she made it to the room Gilligan had directed her to. Peeking inside, she looked around for signs of anyone else and stepped in. Seeing an area to deposit her clothing, she began to undress when she remembered something vital.

 

"Rusty, if you receive this message, inform Winston or Gilligan I'll need a new pair of clothes. Have them leave it outside the door and I'll grab them when I finish. Thanks! XP"

 

Sighing, she finished undressing, deposited her clothes and proceeded to the washroom.

 

As the water ran over her body, removing the larger sections of dirt and dust, arena stared at the ground and then at her abdominal area. A scar covered a rather large portion of the area and she ran her fingers across it. That had been the area where Randall had shot her. It was the one area that reminded her of her rebirth and the origin of her name.

[Thaelasan]

(( Randall would probably have been proud of himself. :I ))

 

Rusty had considered bathing as well but had put everyone else before himself, moving around and making sure everyone was comfortable. As soon as he saw that he was finally given some free time, he received a message on one of the doll transmission channels. In fact, it was one that only allowed messages up to a half mile radius and took the least amount of power to broadcast. It was almost like text messaging, though it was hard to ignore the notification when your brain was the receptor.

Sighing, he could already guess who it was. He was actually both thrilled and intimidated. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about Miss Renata Night, as of yet.

When she had first appeared, it had been a blessing. He had been the only doll for miles, as far as he knew from broadcasting and scanning - then again, his scanners were from a Series II - and it had been a strange, awkward phase for him to adjust to people seeing him in this way. He knew he didn't look like a doll of his series should look.

Truthfully, the original Rusty was as close as one could have been to a Series IV, without actually reaching it. He had been destined to be the figurehead of Series IV male dolls - at least in Europe. He and the female dolls would fight alongside humanity and then be used for reproduction should humanity dwindle to nothingness. He had been programmed not to feel lust nor desire for women OR men, in order to prevent sexual assault. After all, humans probably wouldn't be able to stop a doll from doing what it wanted, and that's what humans feared.

And Rusty knew it. All dolls knew it. It was hard for them to understand love or compassion. They saw it. They defined it. They knew what it should feel like. They could see scenes of it recorded in their own minds, from movies, from their realities, from their memories. It was meaningful but to them only showed them what they couldn't have.

Which is why, for the past few hours, Rusty had been trying to decide if he would have felt love for Renata should he have had such a feeling. He wondered if she had that failsafe. In fact, he wondered if his was even working. After all, he had been pretty ruined. Could it have been broken?

He had analyzed it for hours. She was attractive, to be sure. She was a doll, like himself. SURELY that was cause for him to love her alone?

But Rusty knew better. Did he like her for who she was? He thought about this a moment.

Did he like her for who she WAS. As in, what she HAD been. Oh, of course he hadn't truly deleted his memories of her. Dolls couldn't do that in the span of a second. Besides, that'd be a stupid ability to use on a whim like that. The only reason he had to act as though he did it was because of the Series I doll that sat within him, the doll closest to Isaac Asimov's dreams. An obedient doll capable only of following orders, possessing no human genes or traits, and looking the most robotic of all.

So, he remembered her, of course. What he HAD done was rewrite her name in his mind to Renata, making it where he'd never say MINA again.

MINA. Oh, he knew much about her. All dolls did. Human news spread like wildfire. Doll news spread like hell was raining upon the earth. MINA's attacks and actions were spread by nearby dolls who saw the events, becoming radio signals broadcast around the world. Other dolls - even series II - would have intercepted it, if just to know that they would be doomed should she appear.

TINA's account of the events was the most accurate and detailed. Her beautifully written report on MINA's actions had been relayed over countless transmissions. Yet, only dolls who had the artificial intelligence Rusty had actually made the connections between the reports. Dolls who didn't would have just added more danger to MINA. Rusty actually had the thought process to DEFINE MINA.

Based on all he knew, she had once been a real human girl, only to have been killed tragically before her brother's eyes. In an attempt to resurrect her, she was rebuilt as a doll, in her image. Whether the doll actually had a personality like the original Rusty couldn't know. He did know, however, that a girl named Mina Night actually did exist, and a boy - whose data he couldn't get for all of its terrible corruptions - named something Night, now codenamed Phantom, had been her brother. She had also had another brother, according to a birth certificate, but even that was corrupted. Someone was trying to remove information.

It had frightened him. Who was the other individual who didn't even have a name? All Rusty knew was that later in her life MINA had served someone she called her Master, but all dolls did that. They were actually programmed to serve an individual they identified as a leader or a suitable tactician. It was meant for if a makeshift democracy had to be formed after the apocalypse. Considering Winston's kindness and intelligence, Rusty had imprinted on him, calling him and Martha the lady and the lord, especially due to their histories.

As Rusty opened up the message, he began to think about just how he had defined the woman known as MINA. She was intelligent, super advanced, capable of large energy bursts without losing it all, able to transport herself across large distances (which Rusty was envious of), and was made of some material stronger than anything Rusty could think of.

Rusty was based on Caldium, as far as he knew, and basic tungsten and steels, silicon. He was strong, but was more made for long range battles, with guns and such. He could deal with short range weaponry too, in a fix. His pitchfork had also served him admirably, which he found to be humorous. In any case, he definitely wasn't as sophisticated as MINA. In fact, he was pretty terrible by comparison in his current situation.

Earlier she said she had parts for him. For him? Would she be willing to help him rebuild himself? For some reason, he was thrilled by the thought.

Was that love? Dammit, he felt like the man from most of the movies he had seen in his databanks.

Well, he'd figure it out. Besides, he wasn't much of a match for her. No skills like hers. No power like hers. No intelligence or capability like hers. Should she decide, he could become a mark in a crater, a smudge.

But she didn't. It was peculiar. Was her Master dead? He rechecked TINA's most recent report while he waited for her message to load. Sadly, due to their difference in capability, his transmissions loaded slowly, almost like good internet connecting to bad.

He sighed, reading the report again. His eyes widened as he read the last paragraph.

 

Humanity has been successful. The target has been neutralized and his associate, MINA Night, has been given failsafes to reduce current power output. Current threat level is now 15%, down from a critical 150%. This is most likely my last report as I am now able to retire from my current duties and begin the second stage of a doll's life.

 

Rusty blushed heavily. The second stage of a doll's life was pretty self-explanatory. It was the reproduction half. Who had she fallen in love with? What became of the child?

It didn't mean much to him, but it should have. Sadly, Rusty had no idea that Phantom and TINA were together, and that Phantom was devising a method of making their child almost invincible. He couldn't have known. It was just something he couldn't discover based on the facts he was given. So, that was just another thing he would probably never find out about.

However, currently, as he read MINA's message, he wondered about her sanity. Such an innocent text, her artificial intelligence shining through. She was just like a young, teenage girl. How old was Rusty created to be? He searched through his own program files.

The thing about dolls was that they knew their own existences and could define them by the most complex and basic algorithms, every bit of information, every tiny shred of memory and mental capacity, an equation and a function, written by the hands of the greatest human minds. They knew they were not created by a God. They were created by people. Yet some people wondered if they had a soul.

Rusty had heard of the theological debates. Did MINA have a soul? Was it the soul of the real Mina Night? Or was it simply a very complicated and similar mind based on her but without her actual existence?

Rusty considered the theory that perhaps he was spending too much time thinking like this but it was because he could think like this that he knew he was alive. Regardless of a soul, regardless of actual existence, he was a real being.

He was a Rusty, Frankenstein, abomination of an existence but he was an existence. He grabbed some feminine clothes from their supplies - making sure of their size due to his measurements of her size that he got the moment he first saw her - and draped them over his arm, taking care not to wrinkle them.

"Where are you off to?" Winston asked. He was just stepping out of the bathroom, looking far the cleaner and refreshed for his recent cleansing.

"Oh, Master Winston." Rusty said, halting immediately. "I am bringing Miss Renata Night a change of clothes, as she neglected to have the foresight to gather them herself before heading into the bath."

"And she told you to bring them to her?" Winston rubbed his chin, a twinkle in his eye.

"Er... yes sir. Is there something amiss?" Rusty was a little confused.

"Not at all, not at all." Winston patted Rusty on the shoulder, a little harder than usual.

"Sir, I apologize for being blunt, but due to your current facial features and your actions, I am 96% sure that you are not telling me everything. What is it that you wish for me to spontaneously understand?" Rusty asked, concerned.

"Oh, think about it Rusty." Winston rolled his eyes. "A woman supposedly forgets her clothing and asks you - specifically - to bring them to her? You?"

"I am a doll and it was efficient because she could send me the message in confidence without bringing her situation to light. After all, forgetting one's garments is embarrassing, correct?"

"She could have easily teleported somewhere and grabbed clothes, right?" Winston frowned. "Think about it, long and hard, Rusty. Why is she trusting YOU to bring her her clothes? Just ignore the fact you're a doll, you know?"

"That's sort of impossible but I will attempt it for you. Alright, I think I sense what you are getting at, yet I'm afraid it is probably not the case." Rusty sighed. "If indeed Miss Night were to be attracted to me, her psychological profile states that she would more than likely be up front about it."

"Psychological profile? She's a WOMAN Rusty. Trust me. I'm married, you understand. I know damn well that she isn't about to just TELL you she's in love with you. That's not how women work. YOU have to figure it out and ask them personally if they do. And you can't be too forward."

"This is complicated. I'm just going to bring her her clothes. If indeed she is attracted to me I shall bring it up and mull over it at a different time."

"Bah! As you say." Winston walked off towards the common area, leaving Rusty about his business.

Rusty stepped towards the woman's bathroom door, thinking about what Winston said. Could it be possible? He had been considering it but...

In any case, he laid the clothes down on a chair before the door and stepped back, almost as if they were sacred.

He then pressed a finger to his head and sighed, sending her a message back.

"I apologize for the delay, Miss Night. There are garments I believe should be suitable for you located outside of the doorway when you are finished with your cleansing ritual. If you require anything else, please, let me know. However, I shall be taking a bath myself, so it may take some time for me to answer your messages."

However, this time, he sent it on a more secure channel, directly to her, now that he knew her location. After all, other dolls may not exactly need to know about them taking a bath.

He pondered for a moment. Worrying about such trivial matters as other people knowing about something embarrassing? He was becoming more human than he thought. Was it a bad thing? Not necessarily.

Smiling, he stepped through the door to the men's bath. As he expected, it was empty, since everyone else had taken theirs long ago. Perfect. He really didn't want them to stare at him while he washed.

He removed his own clothes, revealing the mismatch of parts he was truly made of. With his clothes on, one could see that his pitchfork and one of his feet weren't from his body. The real damage was his chest and legs. Whatever had caused him to shut down from the sheer critical damage had not been kind. Not only did he not remember the event because all sensory data from it had been corrupted by the sheer damage to his body but the creature - he assumed - had also managed to brutally separate his chassis and internal organs into a mess of nothingness. It was a miracle the sliver of his brain had survived. Thanks to the failsafes that he had been given, his internal shutdown had moved all the his data to the - well, basically - back of his mind.

When Winston had found him, his entire chest was nothing but a gaping hole, one leg was half-chewed, the other leg was missing entirely. His arm had been torn apart from the elbow down. His lungs, laying nearby, were still connected to his esophagus and were still trying to breathe, like a scene from a gruesome, horrific macabre movie. His heart, connected only by a few strands of wire and tubing, was the only thing still keeping his brain functional. His energy units had been taken as well. Winston guessed that looters found Rusty before he did and stole those, leaving Rusty to die. The ***s.

In any case, Rusty's body was a literal mess, if it could still be called a body. Thankfully, Winston was a scavenger. He found parts from Series I, Series II, and even a Series III bot laying around the ruins of the nearby city of London and managed to piece together enough to get Rusty back up and running.

All Rusty remembered was that he was just beginning to become sentient before the event, and he remembered a vague glimpse of his former master. He had the impression he didn't like the man anyway. What had his name been? He couldn't remember. It probably didn't matter. Winston was his master now.

He sat in the bath, frowning. Suddenly, it occurred to him that the only thing separating him and Renata was a large, stone wall which housed the water fountain that fed into the bath. The invention had been made quite recently but it looked fairly rustic. The sculptures had been there since the castle had been built but it was a fairly simple thing to transform them into a fountain.

It was a majestic thing. For the women's side, there was the sculpture of a radiant phoenix, wings spread, its mouth open, water pouring from it after being heated down below. Water also poured from some of its feathers, like a shower.

On the men's side was the sculpture of the mighty dragon, its claws extended, each shooting a jet of water. Of course, its huge jaws were open and more water poured from that, creating a glorious scene.

There was, of course, a large sheet of rock between the two sculptures, preventing the curious sort from looking where they shouldn't. After all, you can never be too careful. Yet, was it then enough for...

"Renata?" he said after much hesitation, "Can you hear me through the wall? I apologize for any interruption or inconvenience."

 

-----

 

Winston stepped into the massive common area and was immediately taken aback, even though he'd been there before. The Jamesons lived for appearances and always changed the room in order to suit their mood.

Today was apparently a red day. Red tapestries depicting the family crest adorned the walls. Red tablecloths lined the dining tables in the adjacent rooms. Red carpet lined the floors. Red cloth on the chairs. Gold trim above the mantle.

"It's... red." Winston grunted, turning to the chair. "So, Gilligan, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Ah. Have a seat, Master Vance." a man said from behind Winston. Winston turned, and immediately bowed.

"Lord Jameson." Winston said regally, standing back to his full height. I thought you were busy in Oxford?"

"Originally, yes." Lord Edison Jameson replied, bowing in return. "Yet, certain circumstances have allowed me the privilege to return. Now, please, have a seat."

He gestured, frowning. "There is.. much to discuss. We may require assistance, when we wish we didn't have to ask."

"I don't like the sound of this, you know." Winston said. "It sounds dire."

"No. Quite the opposite. Yet also the same. There are many things about it that are amiss. I'll get to the point." Edison said as he took a seat. "The Gaia is currently asleep, in a sense. It hasn't moved since last week, after it attacked London. Many people are saying we managed to drive the hellish thing away. I just think we're lucky."

"Well, that's good, right?" Winston asked, taking the drink from a butler who offered it to him.

"Yes and no. While the Gaia is asleep, his minions are seeming to be.. reproducing, if you could call it that. They're going out and finding the bodies of our dead and taking them back to the Gaia. Apparently, they've reportedly been resurrected as those beasts." Edison said grimly.

Winston sat forward, shocked.

"But I thought that we burned the bodies?!" he asked, confused.

"WE did. There are people who couldn't bring themselves to do it, the fools. They built mass graves, basically making free samples for that ***." Edison said dryly. "If you ask me, they have no sense at all."

"I can see their point of view but you're right. That was a horrible move by them." Winston took a drink to calm his nerves. "Can we stop them?"

"We have a plan but it will take a lot of work and effort to pull it through. We're going to rig the bodies with explosives... a lot of explosives."

Winston stared for a long time.

"That's... borderline desecration."

"They would be pleased to know they were used to save the world. Or would you rather they attack us after death?" Edison sighed. "Really Winston, I gave you more credit for intelligence. Think logically, not ethically."

"Er... I suppose, you know." Winston frowned. "It still seems a little on the nose."

"Perhaps. In any case, you said you brought supplies? I would be more than happy to trade you anything you need for any explosives or weapons you have. Also, if you'd be willing to lend some manpower, that would be fantastic. The sooner we destroy that Gaia, the better off all of us will be." Edison finished his drink, smiling. "And you could be part of that glorious defeat, should you be willing to lend a hand."

"Well, it's not my decision, you understand. Each of the people in my group has their own choices. I can't just tell them what to do. I just guide them."

"Are you not their leader?" Edison asked as the butler poured him another drink.

"Er... yes but not in that sense." Winston said. "Like I said. I guide them. If I were to try and force them to do things, I wouldn't enjoy it."

"Well, however you do it, try to convince them to help. We'd appreciate it, Master Vance. Oh.. that reminds me..." He tapped the arm of his chair. "Your daughter. Annabeth, correct? We've heard about her from our family members in Gloucester recently."

Winston leaned forward excitedly.

"I see that you're interested." Edison smiled. "Well, it appears that she was part of the group of survivors that made it there, so she's alive, as far as the reports go. We haven't heard anything else since."

"Well.. as long as she's alive. How long ago was this?"

"Er... two days, as best. Our reports are pretty recent." Edison shrugged. "After all, family is the most important thing."

"You taught me that, you know." Winston smiled. "Anyway, now that that sordid business is handled, when shall dinner be served?"

"Within the hour. Oh, and could you do me a favor?" Edison asked as Winston stood.

"Yes?"

"When that girl.. Renata, was it? When she's ready, please tell her I wish to meet with her. I love meeting new people." Edison smiled pleasantly. "You may send Rusty too. I have found a few things he might be interested in. Parts from Gloucester."

"Yes, he'd be quite happy, you know!" Winston walked off towards the stairs.

Edison watched him walk off with a smirk.

"Renata Night, you said her name was now?" Edison asked, smiling.

"Yes sir." Gilligan said. "Renata Night. That's what she said."

"Well... isn't that fancy. After what happened.." Edison grimaced. "In any case, hopefully we can get this all taken care of."

"If I may ask sir, why are you so interested in that girl?" Gilligan said, confused.

"Girl? She's no more a girl than you are... or a person for that matter, if you wish to be so single-minded." Edison turned. "In any case, don't worry about it. Go about your business, brother."

"Thanks." Gilligan wandered off, leaving Edison to drink in silence.

 

----

 

Martha sat in the bath, staring at Renata as the girl entered.

"Ah." she said as she stood up, wrapping a towel about herself. If Renata had bothered to notice from the previous conversation, she would have seen that, yes, Martha was indeed very gifted in certain departments. However, Martha stepped out of the bath, bowing.

"I almost forgot where I was, for a moment." she smiled pleasantly. "Please, do as you need to do and I'll see you at the dinner table."

She headed for the door just as Rusty's voice came through the wall. She frowned, curious.

"Should I... stay?" Martha asked, turning back to Renata with a frown.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena looked up when she heard Martha speak. Strange, she didn't sense anyone else within the bath. Of course, her mind was wandering and she wasn't exactly paying attention to her sensors. Smiling, she wrapped her own towel around herself, trying to hide the scar on her stomach. More than likely, the woman had probably seen it with how delayed Rena had taken notice of her.

 

"Do as you please. Of course, Rusty might be a bit more pleased if it were just him and I conversing. Still, I have no qualms with you staying and listening, you're probably curious too."

 

Rena turned to face the wall that was separating the men's bath from the women's and smiled coyly. Such a simple barrier, really. Before she spoke to Rusty, however, she remembered something she needed to ask Martha.

 

"Mrs. Vance, are you and your husband of noble standing? Based on the way you present yourselves, despite your physical conditions, you take on a rather regal atmosphere. Forgive me if I'm misinterpreting something, but I've been known to be rather perceptive. Also, if you are leaving, would it bother to ask if you could put the clothes Rusty left for me in the dressing area?"

 

Smiling brightly, Rena turned back to the wall and cleared her throat, unsure of how to handle this moment exactly. Rusty, a bit of an oddball in his design and the repair job given to him was subpar compared to what her Big Brother could do. Then again, there weren't many, if any, who could match Erik's engineering capabilities.

 

"Of course I can hear you, ya ditz. What you need?"

 

There was sarcasm in Rena's voice, but she began to wonder if he'd be able to take account of it. Surely he wouldn't take offense to the way she spoke, though, she began to wonder if calling him Frankenstein might have upset him.

 

"Umm, if it's the Frankenstein thing, I'm sorry about that. It was just a little nickname for your unique appearance, you know? Uhh, that didn't come out right. I mean, you're not bad looking or anything, but the mix match of parts and all is what brought the thought on. Heh... heheh... Ugh..."

 

Slumping into the water, Rena began to blow bubbles in the water in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. Originally, as MINA, she'd just harass the doll without another thought. Telling him straightforward that he was a freak of man-created nature and that he should just dismantle himself.

 

"You know, you're easy to crack... Trying to hide things from me will only get you probed. So, I see you're capable of disobeying your Master's commands. Instead of forgetting about me, you just renamed me. I'd ask if you could be trusted not to spill my secret, but I'm not exactly a trustworthy candidate either."

[Thaelasan]

(( I sit here and wonder how long it took you to read that wall of text.

By the way, there were two different backstories for Edison. One, which I really liked, is that he was a benefactor for Damien's research AND Alan's lab research before the crisis. Right before it happened, Damien told Edison he wasn't going to pay. Before Edison could take it from him, the apocalypse separated countries and left Edison with a large hole in his wallet. Of course, he could easily supplement it but he's rather irate.

However, the second theory is that he knew Erik's family before the destruction and is responsible for removing data about them from the databanks in order to help them out. Now he wants to ask MINA to help him, since he thinks she sort of owes him a favor.

Whichever one you like best or if you come up with a better one, do it.

Also, Edison is actually QUITE important. I'm considering bringing him along. He's the traveling lord of the Jamesons, after the death of his father, Albert Jameson. They like naming themselves after travelers and inventors, if you didn't notice, and books.

In any case, his family has always had a large estate, but he began modernizing it, changing it without changing it, adding little tweaks to bring out the future. He also began using the funds of the estate as donations to scientific research, considering his namesake and his desire to learn. He actually wants to know how dolls are made.

His brothers, Gilligan and Gulliver, are younger than him by about five years or more. Gilligan, the messenger and workerboy, loves his brother and takes all his orders without question. Gulliver, however, went off with a large chunk of the money of the estate - because he was the actual legal heir - and Edison says he blew it all but never came back. No one really know what happened to Gulliver.

There's more, if you care to hear it, later on. :3 ))

 

Rusty couldn't speak for a moment. Before he could try, Renata had told him that she knew that he hadn't erased his memories. Could she consider it a breach of privacy? Did she hate him for it? Desire him to be destroyed?

He doubted it. If she wanted him dead, she would already be standing over him, naked or no, with his own heart beating in her hands - if he was lucky. Based on the analysis of her abilities, she could have already killed him and he would never have heard her break through the wall - if she had to do that.

So he sat there in silence, pondering his answer.

"Well, Miss Night, I do indeed know of your past but I now have no capability to call you by your true name. I can remember it but I have locked it so that now I will not be able to say it unless my master commands I say it. You know that's the rule, I hope, for most Series I dolls? Though I am not one, I am close enough that I am forced to abide by the rules and regulations they follow." he said sullenly. "In any case, I am hopeful that the parts you brought will fix that. Also, if you are worried that I do not appreciate your nickname for me, think nothing of it. It is currently the truth, sadly. It is not the future I desired but it better than nonexistence."

Martha stared at Renata as Rusty spoke. She dare not say a word.

"Also, Lady Martha, I apologize for interrupting your bath with such conversation. If you require me to be silent, just say the word and I will find another time to talk with Miss Night." Rusty said kindly, his voice echoing throughout both bathrooms.

"Don't worry about it, dear. I quite enjoy conversation. It's also rather interesting." Martha said softly.

She turned to Renata, bowing slightly. She then removed her towel and got back inside of the bath, comfortable. Whereas what she normally wore made her look older than she was, without the dirt and debris she looked quite radiant. In fact, she looked almost like a more mature version of Renata, with slight differences. As she looked at Renata, she leaned to the side.

"Rusty, I'm too comfortable in here.." she said. "Could you explain to her... what she asked.. please dear?"

"Oh, of course Lady Vance." Rusty beamed happily. "Winston Vance, son of the entrepreneurial doctor Richard Vance, is heir to a small fortune thanks to his father's extraordinary pursuits into the fields of medical science. However, his father recently went missing and no reports have been given as to his current status. Still, combined with his ancestry and the money he has, Winston began as a traveling merchant, selling things across his fair land of England. Martha, the daughter of a nearby family, found him - as she put it - enthralling and charismatic. The two had a natural knack for posture and nobility, thanks to their respective families, and began a life together."

Martha smiled pleasantly.

"Sounds about right..." she murmured, close to falling asleep.

"Lady Martha, remember that we have dinner in roughly thirty four minutes." Rusty warned.

"Don't worry... Renata... or you.. will wake me up when it's time... right?" she stared at Renata a moment before passing out, pleased.

Rusty sighed audibly.

"I'm happy she's able to be comfortable considering her circumstances. In any case, Miss Night, I shall be blunt."

Rusty summed up all of his inner courage and breathed out.

"Do you, do you think you will, or have you ever possessed feelings for me which go beyond that of the limits of friendship in nature? If so then I am pleased to inform you that the feelings are mutual, or would be if I could actually feel such things. Or if I am feeling it, I have no idea if I am because I have nothing with which to compare it to."

He sighed, his confession made.

"However, should you already have been in prior engagements with a far more suitable prospect or perhaps you are searching for someone other than a Frankenstein such as myself, I will reluctantly try and restrain such feelings if I am indeed feeling them which I cannot know."

He coughed.

"Also is Lady Martha close to drowning? Please make sure she keeps her head above the water, Miss Night."

[Clown_of_God]

((I don't mind either way. Who knows, maybe it's likely that both theories could be possibilities.))

 

Renata thought for a moment and upon realizing what it was Rusty was asking her face began to redden. Shortly after, she went under a controlled freak out moment, it was like watching a person going through a small spasm.

 

"W-w-what?! W-where did that come from? I mean, we just met, right? There's no way... though there is that whole 'at first sight' thing, but wha... how... Ugh..."

 

Looking back to make sure Martha would be fine, Rena sighed and stepped out of the bath. Wrapping the towel around herself, she paced back and forth for a few moments before heaving a deep breath and teleporting into the men's side.

 

"Oy, rust bucket, listen here. I don't know where that little thing of yours came from, but we just met like... an hour ago. Well, officially, that is. If anything, I'm just a big tease... well, little tease. Agh! You get my point. Look, give me some time. I can't give you answer right now and who knows... you might not get one."

 

Winking and sticking her tongue out, Rena teleported back to her side and sighed heavily. A confession, sort of, and a rather confusing one at that. How was she supposed to respond? Unlike her older sister-in-law, Rena wasn't exactly 'in tune' with her emotions. Why, just a few months back, her thrill and happiness came from slaughtering and mangling humans and dolls alike. Now, one had confessed his love to her as she was undergoing a mental and emotional change. Talk about throwing her into a loop.

 

"If you're still listening, I'm heading out now. Thanks for the clothes."

 

Going along the edge of the bath, Rena made her way over to Martha and lightly tapped her shoulder to wake her. Rena motioned that she was getting out now and figured it best that Martha accompanied her. After she was sure Martha was conscious, Rena made her way to the dressing section and looked over the outfit Rusty had secured for her. A red halter top and a pair of denim jeans, nothing terribly fancy (thank goodness) and flexible enough to move about in. Of course, there were undergarments as well, but Rena didn't see the need to wear such inconveniences.

 

After slipping into her new outfit, Rena secured her sneakers (a pair of converse high tops) and pulled her hair into a short ponytail, leaving a strand hanging from the left side of her face. Much better. She felt rejuvenated and light. Stepping out into the hall, Rena waited for Martha to dry off and get dressed and to see if Rusty was getting out as well.

Edited February 20, 2014 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

(( It's funny to me because I realized something last night.

When I made Rusty, without considering anything else, I made him a man who wants to remember his past.

Renata has a past she'd rather forget. Rusty has a past he can't remember.

I didn't think about it until I actually... THOUGHT about it. ))

 

Martha awoke, frowning.

"Aww... I didn't even.. get to sleep that long, dearie." she murmured, trying to stand. "That's just disgraceful."

 

----

 

After following Renata out the door to the next room, Martha found her clothes washed and dried. It was more than likely the work of Rusty or Winston. She smiled fondly and place them upon herself.

"Ah. Well. That's better." she mentioned, turning to Renata. "What are we waiting for?"

As if in reply, Rusty exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his lower half. However, his upper half showed more than enough just how much he had had to be repaired before he had been able to move.

He turned to Renata, his face a mask.

"Miss Night. Lady Vance." he finally said, waving pleasantly. "I hope both of you feel much better for your bath."

He turned to head towards the men's changing area, leaving the two women behind.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena smiled acknowledgingly and looked back at Martha after Rusty proceeded to the men's changing area.

 

"Shall we go see if dinner is ready? I wonder what they're preparing."

 

It wasn't difficult to take notice that Rena felt insecure about something. What would one expect after suddenly being confessed to? Still, there was a lot on her plate and then there was the matter of assisting the Jameson's with whatever task they needed. More than likely, it was an attempt at destroying the hive and the Gaia with it, but these people needed to understand it wasn't going to be easy if even possible at all.

 

"So, it's not nobility, but proper mannerisms and your stature that makes you appear regal. Forgive me if I misunderstood Rusty's explanation. Now, as for the Jameson's, I take it there's more to them just wealth or are they in a similar standing as yourself?"

 

Even as she spoke, Rena led the way to the dining area, having mapped at the house during her trek to the washroom. It was larger than it had first appeared when they had arrived earlier. Truly, the lone castle that stood in the world' suttee destruction. There had to be more to it that kept it standing. Sure, small fry infected wouldn't have a chance of getting through the walls, but the infection was no longer subject to just humans. It had evolved and now animals and even plants were prone to the grotesque alterations Type X brought with it.

[Thaelasan]

"Ah. Miss Night. How good of you to finally show yourself."

Lord Jameson stepped forward from where he had been sitting, bowing gracefully.

"We have... much to discuss. I trust you're not feeling hungry? I'd rather we got to this conversation before I ate. I won't be able to enjoy food until I've spoken with you thoroughly." Edison smiled, standing back to his full height.

"Miss Vance, would you please excuse us?" he asked, turning to her slightly. "I apologize for the inconvenience. Your husband is already in the other room, awaiting your arrival. Your seat is marked with your name, as of course you are a guest of honor in my home."

"Why... thank you. You're too kind.." Martha said, curtseying. She did the same to Renata, and then walked into the dining area, leaving Edison and Renata alone.

Edison gestured to a chair, pleased.

"Miss Night, I'm sure that my actions may seem.. suspicious. Don't worry. I'll explain everything to you." he said. "Where's that other doll?"

Rusty entered the room, frowning.

"Sir Gilligan just came and told me you summoned me. Is there something the matter?"

"Not at all. In fact, it's something of a great amount of good, depending on how you look at it." he took his seat in his chair, getting comfortable.

Rusty took at a seat as well, still concerned. They both looked at Renata, waiting for her next move.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena looked back at the two, crossing her arms and puzzlement reflecting in her expression. So, this was Mr. Jameson, the man of this enormous construction. Before dinner could even be served, he had requested an audience with Rusty and herself. For what reason, Rena wanted to know.

 

"Pardon my rudeness, but I'd rather remain standing. So, what is it you need that you requested a private audience? Were it about the hive, I'm sure there would've been no issue with the others listening in. My assumption is, this conversation has to do with something only Rusty and myself are aware of, correct?"

 

Alternating her position, Rena shifted from leaning on her left leg over to her right. It was an 'old' habit she had as Mina Night, the human. One of the memories Erik had implanted into her databanks.

[Thaelasan]

Edison interlaced his fingers thoughtfully, his face emotionless.

"Very well. I will cut to the point. I know full well of your past and that this doll here..." he gestured to Rusty, "Also knows. I also know fully of your desire to keep those facts hidden. Just assume that everything you ever did, ever may do, and perhaps anything you have ever CONSIDERED doing is common knowledge to me. After all, I have known you since birth."

He adjusted his jacket, then leaned himself on the arm of his seat, smirking.

"My name is Lord Edison Jameson but you would have called me Eddy, I believe." he chuckled. "You were quite young at the time of our first meeting. Only your older brother was capable of sophisticated speech and I could tell that he was destined for some great scientific achievements. Therefore, I set to work early on pushing him towards a path of science. I suppose you can call me his guidance but I merely provided him with the materials he needed in order to advance his research."

He took a sip of his drink.

"After all, such research was quite expensive, even by my standards. Yet, I expected the fruits of his research would not only make my profits double but would have made him a great figurehead of all research in that area from that point on. However, I chose the wrong brother." he grimaced, placing the cup down.

"I chose Damien. I should have chosen Erik. It was my complete and utter failure to fully analyze Damien's mental state that he was able to fool me. It wasn't that he was insane - he was mentally efficient in all regards. He fooled us all into believing that the experiments he conducted were of the ethical sort. Instead, he was trying to find a way to become an abomination. He succeeded. I didn't know about that until after I asked him for the fruits of his labors, and he waved me away and proceeded to cut off all contact with me. So, in short, I consider myself responsible for both your death and the damage done to Erik. I made decisions that I should have thought better of. Therefore, I have recently been removing all data associated with you from any doll transmission databanks as well as from the small fragments of the internet that still exist. This data.. is all right here."

He held up a small usb stick, waving it around tantalizingly.

"All the information that could ever incriminate you as a war criminal if indeed it ever came to that is right here. Perhaps you care. Perhaps you don't. Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing anything with it than letting it gather dust." he assured, replacing it in his tuxedo pocket.

"However, I simply wished to apologize to you. Now, I'm going to ask you for something I have no place in asking - your assistance. Are you still as strong as the reports say?" Edison asked, curious.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena grimaced when Edison revealed what he knew and who he was. Of course, Rena also gathered all accounts of Mina Night's history with this man and found that he was actually well-known within the family. Still, if it was blackmail that Edison was going to use in order to subjugate her, she would first wipe this house clean than be imprisoned and under another man's control.

 

"You say you chose the wrong brother, but even through all this mess it was probably the better choice. What if Big Bro had mutated into something monstrous, even more so than the Omega? Would he have been stoppable? Big Bro is smart and would've found a way to overcome his weaknesses and grow far more powerful. At least, that's how I interpret it."

 

This whole time, Rena was tense and it wasn't hard to tell. Shoulders were arched back, arms were tight and even her facial expression was rigid. This man, who was implying that he was a friend, seemed more of a dirty trickster to her. How ironic.

 

As for the man's request for aid and his interest in her power levels, Rena more than willing to oblige. With a smirk, Rena released the second restraint on her core, the energy flooding out like a dam gate had just been opened. Phantom had permitted her access to the second restraint for the operation of her transportation unit. That and her secret weapon, which she had used only once to slay the Alpha that hadn't been compliant with her Master's orders.

 

At first, nothing seemed to change, but suddenly the lights began to brighten and then flicker. Any battery cartridges within the room received an overcharge and some even produced a small explosion, a pop per say. Rusty's power units were restored to maximum charge in just a matter of seconds and several digital devices were overloaded.

 

"That's just the excess. If you need a better example, I'd be more than obliged to show you on an Artemis-class infected, possibly a Terra if one's about."

 

In Europe, due to the evolution of Type X, other new classes of infected had spawned. Terra was the class just below a Gaia, similar in aspect to an Alpha except it was much sturdier and difficult to defeat by conventional methods. Artemis-class infected were above Behemoth's as they were faster, stronger and smarter. If the two ever clashed, a Behemoth's only chance of winning was if it managed to disable the creature's arms.

[Thaelasan]

Edison sighed as he removed his phone from his pocket, slightly irritated.

"As pleased as I am to see that the reports didn't exaggerate, that was actually slightly important. Do you know how hard it is - even for someone like me - to get a mobile phone during this atrocity? The middlemen - not to mention the foreign markets and policies that are being strictly enforced - are just the tip of the iceberg. Ah well. Good thing I always have a few spares in an offshore location for if times get dire. In any case..."

He tossed the phone behind him into the fireplace, the SD card already gripped firmly in his fingers.

"Allow me to enlighten you as to how I was capable of all these feats of majesty - I'm not human." Edison grinned, pleased at Rusty's expression. "Oh yes. Not one bit of me is organic anymore. And the best part? Not even your sophisticated sensors could have told you how. Do you know why? Because I'm not based on anything your sensors could have picked up. Caldium and Aegiathium? The predecessors to something much, much more enthralling and sophisticated in design."

He stood up to his full height, cracking his neck. Without any hesitation, he removed his tuxedo, revealing his torso and arms. They looked perfectly human - but any doll above a Series III was capable of that.

"I thank you for the excess charge, milady Night. I'd been needing some more since the last time I attempted to kill the Gaia alone." he grunted. "That thing was absurdly powerful, but ignorant. Regardless of its ability to control the other Infected, it's just as foolish as the rest of them. It just wants to eat. Well, I'm not about to let it do as it wishes. It's on my property."

He popped his knuckles and then pressed a button on his chest. At once, any dolls in the vicinity would be able to see him as a doll, as now his energy sources were open to being picked up by a doll's energy sensors.

"Yes. I did this to myself, after reading Erik's enlightening reports and Damien's ENTHRALLLLLING research papers. That *** attempted to hide his work from me? If I want it, I get it. Nothing in this world is hidden from me."

His chest opened slowly, revealing a heart made of synthetic materials, lungs built from an unknown substance, organs pulsating without flesh. He smiled, and after a moment, closed himself back up.

"I did this to myself." he repeated, putting his suit back over his chest. "A year of removing my own organs using nothing but a knife and the barest amount of anesthetics. I am the peak of human evolution - the merge of a doll and a human. It's something Erik theorized. I made it real. Oh, and Miss Night.."

He grinned devilishly.

"You actually have a niece, now. Erik has somehow managed to do what I have done, only through reproduction with that doll.. what was her name... TINA, I believe? Their offspring's abilities actually make me envious. In fact, now I want to upgrade even further using Erik's research, and improve upon it. Before I can do anything, however, I must remove this thorn in my side. This Gaia has encroached upon the ground of England. Therefore, as this is my jurisdiction as the current lord of the land, it is my responsibility to crush its skull with my bare hands." he grunted, turning around.

"But I cannot, unfortunately, do it alone, which is why I require your help, Miss Night." Edison sighed. "The beast is good at targeting single units, and it is fast. Plus, it immediately summons its largest Infected defenders the moment it seems its in critical condition. I was, admittedly, lucky to escape the hive unscathed. Three Behemoths, an Alpha, and two Artemis class Infected followed me until I reached the border of my castle. For some reason, they gave up pursuit. I was shamed."

He turned, his eyes filled with ancient, unknown fury.

"I don't appreciate being toyed with by a monster with an intelligence comparable to the average dog." he growled. "So, I need someone to keep those fools off of my back while I pummel the Gaia into the ground where he belongs."

He held out his hand.

"How would you like to do that for me, Miss Night?" he asked.

[Clown_of_God]

Again, Rena grimaced at yet another revelation this thing had hiding up his sleeve. It wasn't human nor doll, but a concoction of both. Rena felt rather disgusted that he would do this upon himself. Looking to Rusty for a brief moment, she began to ponder her options and let out a heavy sigh.

 

"You obviously don't know who you're talking about anymore. When's the last time you actually saw research notes left by my brother? Not since that stupid doctor on the West Coast stole his blue prints for the dolls. If the Phantom of Erik Night wants people to know something, the only data he uploads is only the blunt end of his research. The meat that shows how it's developed is in his head, safe and secure from any probing thieves or wannabes, like yourself. As for my niece, I can guarantee no matter what you do, you'll never attain her level of sophistication just as how you're no where near my own."

 

At this point, Rena didn't care what the thing thought of her. First, he called Damien a mistake and now he was claiming superiority over Erik. If anything, Rena wasn't going to let this regal contraption squander her family's name.

 

Taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes, Rena took a moment to focus only to release an ample supply of energy from her unit just a few seconds later. It shot out like an explosive wave, the glass shattering, standard electronics frying, lights busting, and light unsecured items were thrown about the room. Upon opening them, she looked Edison in his eyes and grinned.

 

"I have a request for you my 'good sir.' Would you like to dance?"

 

------

 

From a distance, outside the citadel, two cloaked figures looked on from atop a nearby tower. A red light gleamed in the dark as the figure adjusted it's stance. The other figure took hold of the first's hand and pointed at the citadel, the first nodding its head in some sort of approval. Shortly after, both hopped down and came to a slow halt just before landing on the ground. Turning back, the first figure looked at the base of the tower and the red light flashed once more. Infected were piled around the base, their bodies motionless and devoid of any sign of life.

 

"Shall we intervene?"

 

"No, I already said we're just here to observe. Gotta say, though, she's changed quite a bit. Of course, so as he. Why, I can't remember the last time I actually saw him, but I know he wasn't a concoction of theorized materials and some rather intriguing replications. So, what's the status on the Silencer?"

 

"Functioning as it should, we're the wind under even the most advanced sensor systems."

 

"Remind me next time MINA is in rest mode to do a quick swap. I'm sure her sensory units are irritated with this fog. Also, in approximately ten minutes, upload the next bit of study I did on our daughter. I'm sure Edison will get a thrill out of knowing her combat potential."

 

Looking at each other, the two figures nodded and the second smiled brightly, the first shrugged nonchalantly and continued to walk down the street. Surely Edison wouldn't mind if he grabbed a bite to eat without anyone even knowing he was present. After all, Edison owed him an arm, two legs, and quite a few internal organs. So, food should be the least of his worries, right?

 

"I do wonder, though, is that safe for that RU57 doll to be within such close proximity to such outburst?"

 

"Look closely, that's not a standard Series IV power unit. It's a prototype. Pretty much, it has a greater power output and an overcharge is practically impossible. Whoever designed it, I applaud them for such a fantastic design, but unfortunately it is a little sloppy. They were so close at attaining renewable energy. This rust bucket could've had a subpar variant of the core you and MINA possess. As for Edison, if his truly requires a recharge, then it means not even he has figured out how to duplicate my work."

 

TINA nodded and looked at her husband for a moment, a sense of awe swelling in her mind as she figured he had known of this man's doings for a while now. Why else would he refrain from taking notes vs mentally storing ever bit of information he learned?

 

((So, yeah, spoiler for Rebellion. This is what Phantom and TINA have been up to since their disappearance. I'm sure it wasn't that big of a surprise to see them, but they aren't the main characters of this story.

 

Also, there are two things I will not allow to happen:

1. For TINA and Phantom to be discovered.

2. For Phantom's 'healing' metal to be replicated. None of his research, beyond the standard doll and what little he had done with Aegithium, has been publicized (per say) to any network, storage device or even a piece of paper.

 

Anyway, they'll be popping in and out every so often, might even make an official appearance sometime down the road.))

[Thaelasan]

(( Roger.

Also, I'm happy you realized that Edison may be a little over his head. However, due to his insatiable desire for becoming the next stage of evolution, he has done his own modifications.

Like you said, just like how the infected evolve, so do mad scientists. Alan, Phantom, Damien, and Edison are the four main scientists who took the immortality serum/strange new materials and attempted to devise their own paths for it.

And by doing so, they all mixed together to form the apocalypse. Edison just didn't know what he got himself into.

I'll post later. I'm on vacation so I may not be able to post as often. ))

[Clown_of_God]

((Okay. ))

[Thaelasan]

(( Just a quick heads-up, if you like Dangan Ronpa, I'm writing yet another fancomic, which makes three main comics I'm working on - my original story, the SAO crossover, and the Dangan Ronpa: Carnival of Despair. :3 ))

[Clown_of_God]

((Yes, yes, but what about a post? XP ))

[Thaelasan]

Edison waved his hand dismissively.

"Nothing of the sort. Fighting you, should I die, would leave my family without a protector. Killing you would serve me nothing either, other than the satisfaction of defeating your Master beyond the grave." he shrugged.

"However, based upon what you've said, I take it you're not interested in helping me. So be it. I shall handle this Gaia personally."

Rusty turned to Renata, confused at her outburst. Even though Edison had been sort of a prick, it hadn't warranted such a display of power. Even so, he was fascinated by the sheer amount of energy which she could release at a moment's notice. He wished he could have analyzed it but it was far too great at once. His outdated scanner couldn't read it.

He assumed, due to popular culture, that it was over nine thousand. But there was no way that could be right, could it?

"Miss Night..." Rusty said, standing shakily. "Perhaps we should leave Lord Edison before things get out of hand?" he suggested.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena crossed her arms and without another word, teleported from the room and onto one of the nearby buildings. It was looking over the citadel and Rena could see beyond the horizon just enough to spot the slumbering Gaia. The thing was uncomfortably close and there was no way this man, despite his augments, could hope to defeat it by himself. What would Winston think if she denied her aid when she had promised to him that she would help? Unfortunately, she hadn't expected something as repulsive as Edison would be the requestor.

 

Sighing, she sat down on the ledge and looked to the sky. Were it not for the fog, there would have been a beautiful night sky to stare at. Unfortunately, this menace in the distance prevented any kind of beauty from shining through. Suddenly, the world went black and Rena felt herself go limp. What had happened? Was she attacked? It couldn't have been possible, her sensors hadn't picked up anything. Yet, so etching was tampering with her systems this very moment. Was it Edison? Had he done so etching while she was in his vicinity? No, even she could tell whoever was tampering with her wasn't Edison. It was too gentle. Familiar.

 

"Big... brother..."

 

"Sleep well, Sis. You deserve a good nights rest."

 

It was him! It had to be, but how? How could he know where she was? Even MINA had been untraceable, so how was it he could've found her? Of course, he was the Phantom.

 

------

 

When she awoke, it was daylight outside and something seemed different. Everything was clearer and her sensors were picking up things that were left in the shadows before. Rubbing her eyes and stretching, Rena looked around and noticed a bowl next to her with a piece of folded paper under it. Taking the paper first, she opened it up to see a note.

 

Sorry for the shady adjustments, but I hope you like the upgrade. I was surprised with this dense fog when I first got here and figured your old sensory units might not be as effective here. After all, dust is different than fog. Anyway, I left you with your favorite breakfast, or least Mina's favorite. Don't worry, it's in a preserved state right now, but the lid has a timer on it and it'll get cold soon. Ah! Before I forget, I left a message for Eddy too. Help them out, I'm sure than Vance's are worried about you. Well, take care, Sis. I'll be seeing you around.

 

To Edison: So, still trying to play King, huh? Before I forget my manners, thanks for the meal last night, I really enjoyed the steak. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. I must admit, your self-advancements are extraordinary, I'll give you that. Such an intriguing alloy you used, but there's no love in it. It's subpar. Not to discourage you or anything, but my daughter could probably take out that Gaia in one blow, were she older. It's fascinating! I'm sure you've read my recent update by this point. Did you know her alloy evolved? It's not the same as what I invented, it's far more advanced! Oh, the studies I wish I could do if I were actually able to take samples. Well, anyway, I'm running my mouth a bit too much. Let me know how Rena performs today. See ya around, 'King.'

 

Rena smiled and grabbed the bowl, looking at the oatmeal that was still steaming inside of it. Yes, she remembered how Erik would make this for her in the morning before she went to school. Even with his studies, she would always have a bowl ready for her. Cinnamon, vanilla, raisins and banana slices on the side with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the top. Surprisingly, the ice cream was still there, which indicated he had made it recently. How he did it was beyond her, she was just happy he was there. Else, she might have done something she would've regretted.

[Thaelasan]

Edison sat in the chair, his face in his palm, the other hand clasping the ever-present drink.

"So, you'll be leaving, then?" Edison said, sighing. "Or will you be helping me?"

"It depends on Miss Night's answer." Rusty said softly, before Winston could speak. "I would gladly follow her into battle just as much as I would Mr. Vance. However, without her assistance, my help would be for naught. She can help me rebuild my vital combat functions so that I may be of better use."

"I see." Lord Jameson placed his drink down and stood to his full height, rolling out his shoulders in the process. "I'll go get you those replacement parts I have. Winston, I trust you can help him fix himself with the correct parts?"

"More than likely. I've seen enough to know how Rusty ticks, you understand." Winston said, shrugging. "He's pretty complicated though."

"As should be expected." Edison turned and left through another door, one which Winston had yet to enter.

"Where's Renata?" Winston turned to Rusty, curious.

"I have no idea. Since she seemed in a bad mood I deigned not to use my scanners upon her. She most likely wished to be alone." Rusty responded. "Should I use them now?"

"No. You're right. Though why was she in a bad mood?" Winston asked.

"I'm afraid you'd have to ask Lord Jameson, Master. Though I would gladly obey your command to tell you, I must suggest that you refrain from asking me, as it would probably be better for Edison to tell you himself. I doubt he wants me telling anyone."

"...I see." Winston rubbed his chin.

[Clown_of_God]

Rena sat on the ledge of the building until the sun was almost centered in the sky. Erik wanted her to help Edison, but for what reason? There were so many scenarios running through her mind, but nothing seemed to match up quite right with how Erik acted. Before she could delve any further into other possible scenarios, a multitude of pings began picking up on her scanners.

 

Sighing, Rena hopped down from her perch and pulled a small cylinder from her waist bag. From one end, a pointed tip extended out until the cylinder was the length of her torso. Out of the other end, sparks of electricity sparked out and danced across Rena's hand.

 

"This oughta be long enough to deal with you pests. Just a bunch of mongrels looking for trouble."

 

Literally, in the lapse of five seconds, Rena went from the base of the building she had been resting on to a block down the street. Smiling, the cylinder had returned to its original state and upon replacing it in her waist bag, the infected behind her separated into various halves, only one receiving a decapitation.

 

"Eh, output was a little too high. I'll go a little smaller next time, else I'd just be wasting energy."

 

Looking up at the sky, Rena huffed and stomped her foot, just to suddenly appear in the dining area of Lord Edison Jameson's home. Looking about, she paid no mind to those who were eating their meals or those that were preparing the meal and took in a deep breath.

 

"Listen here, Eddy, I know you can hear! I have decided to assist you in destroying the menace that plagues this land, but my price won't come cheap. We'll discuss the details further when the sun begins to set. In the mean time, send your best doll equipment and Rusty to the right wing of your house. I'll be waiting there."

[Thaelasan]

Wilson frowned, perturbed.

"Did you hear that ruckus?" he turned from his chair. Several people who had been eating after the meal was over had started to panic and make startled noises. One overweight gentleman left the dining room, his face pale, shaking and murmuring, "I knew that chicken was poorly made."

Wilson turned back to Rusty and sighed.

"If I had to wager a guess, that's the work of your dear Renata." Wilson grinned mischievously. "Considering your relationship, I'd say it's better if you handle it, you understand."

"Unnecessary, though your reference to any sort of relationship between her and I is duly noted. She is no longer within the premises." Rusty stood to his full height, cracking his shoulders. "However, I shall follow her instructions, if that is your command? I am surprised, though, that she believed Lord Edison would be the one that could command me to go to that location. Does she not understand who my Master is, Master Vance?"

"I told you I'm no one's master, you know." Wilson leaned back in his chair. "Iffin' I went around, yellin' at people and tellin' everyone what to do, I'd feel like a proper arse."

"I see that you are reverting to your natural Celtic dialect." Rusty blinked. "I did not know that it was such a touchy subject for you."

"It's... well it is but it's not." Wilson rubbed his face. "Problems with my father I don't want to go into. Just do what she says, please, unless they involve killin' some poor *** or the like. Anything like that. Just..."

"I know what you mean, sir. Unlike most dolls of my Series, I do possess common sense." Rusty bowed. "I shall use it to the best of my ability in order to decide which commands I shall obey from Miss Night."

"That's good. Thank you kindly." Wilson closed his eyes, sighing.

"Are you planning on sleeping here, Master Vance?" Rusty asked. He had begun to walk off.

"Er... most likely. My wife has already gone up to the bedroom but... this is just so nice and comfortable..." Wilson yawned, exhausted. "I've always wanted to do this, you know, sleep in a proper den."

"Sadly, Sir Vance, I don't believe that would be a good choice in the current situation." Lord Edison bowed politely, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

"WHAT?!" Wilson gasped, frightened. "Where did you come from?!"

"My lab. Miss Night has assisted me more than she knows, and I'm sure she just noticed what I did. You did, I believe, Rusty?"

"You... you teleported, Lord Edison?" Rusty said, eyes in disbelief.

"One of the pinnacles of scientific achievement. A device capable of moving particles of matter from one location to the other safely and efficiently." Edison pulled from his pocket another phone, though this one looked different.

"Er... what is that, Lord Jameson?" Wilson asked, confused.

"The teleportation device. Of course, at the time, it was in an SD card in a phone which possessed no possible way of using it. Miss Night, however, played right into my hands. Apologies, Rusty, for the deception. I was not going to do anything to Miss Night. This entire night has been spent trying to achieve this one, single thing, and now I'm the closest I've ever been to discovering what Damien created - the perfect doll."

"Perfect, sir?" Rusty asked, backing up.

"Are you afraid?"

"Slightly." Rusty admitted.

"Don't be, my friend. I'm on your side, much as you may not believe it." Edison promised. "Allow me to explain."

 

"It began tonight when I realized your group was coming. I had already finished my research on the base functions of MINA's teleportation unit, though hers was - according to the reports - built into her system. Hers also required a lot less power than mine does but energy means nothing to dolls who can recreate it at a moment's notice.

But my teleportation device was incomplete. It DID require a massive EMP blast, enough to kickstart it into activation so that the beginning energy pool was large enough to use at will, and then the limitations of power on the teleportation device would be set at a high standard. Sadly, though my power cells FAR excel yours, Rusty, MINA still has a... LITTLE more than I do.. Admittedly, it makes me rather furious. I still have yet to perfect Damien's ultimate creation - the almost infinite power core system he devised. I doubt Miss Night would ever let me look at it either, with how she feels about me now.

Nevertheless, knowing how she felt about Master Damien, I simply had to rile her up to a certain point. Then, when she let off her blast, I let off one of equal power, making everything in this house electrically malfunction but kickstarting the teleportation device. I had to keep it in two pieces to avoid its electrocution. The phone I threw in the fire? It was a cheap plastic toy."

 

"Wait... wait.. you're a doll?" Wilson asked as Edison finished.

"Er. Yes, sir Vance." Edison bowed. "Apologies. I meant to tell you later on. However, you're not correct. I'm both doll and human."

"A cyborg.. thing?"

"I'd appreciate if you didn't call me a thing. I am a nephalem, a thing stronger than a mortal man but yet just below what I am trying to attain - the true form of a doll."

"But.." Wilson began, confused. "How?"

"Mr. Vance, you saw Rusty's insides, please tell me how YOU would have done such a thing?"

"...Did you... did you replace... everything?"

"Yes. Everything. I even replicated the process necessary to replace my genitals and heart. The only thing remaining is my brain. That's where you come in, Sir Wilson, after all of this is over."

"Wha... what!?" Wilson asked, standing up.

"I am trusting you to perform a surgery I have outlined upon my brain, since I would not be able to do it myself. I don't trust Gilligan since he has no experience with the parts used to create dolls. Don't worry - it's a simple procedure. You just have to remove my frontal cortex and replace it - quickly, mind you - with a prebuilt robotic replacement containing advanced scanners and the like."

"That's not simple! You'll be a brain-dead monkey for a second!"

"Monkey? I'd simply be a computer without a power cord, or a hard drive, I suppose." Edison shrugged. "Regardless, I shall pay you quite a bit to do it and of course be in your debt should you ever require my help to do it. From my point of view, I don't see why you'd refuse."

"Because I could kill you and I respect you too much to do that, you know!"

"Which is why I trust you entirely and believe you wouldn't do something so ignorant as to kill me out of spite." Edison smiled. "I've known you for many years. Our fathers were friends. I love you even more than my own brother when it comes to fraternity. I would appreciate if you understood that."

"I.. I do."

"That's why you came here, correct?"

"Yes.. because you would never turn us away."

"Precisely. Don't worry. You have time to prepare for it. In the meantime, I must thank Miss Night for her generosity and apologize. I still have much to do, but I can teleport roughly a fourth of the distance she can." Edison said, and proceeded to demonstrate this.

He disappeared.

Wilson took a deep breath as Rusty went to follow him to the room where Renata told them to go.

"What in God's name has Edison done?"

 

(( Also, in case you were wondering, Edison was so focused on his grand scheme that he hasn't yet noticed Soul's report - something that will cause a lot of later on. I have plans, Zakku. ))

Edited February 25, 2014 by Thaelasan

[Clown_of_God]

"Exactly what my brother did."

 

Rena stepped from the shadows, sighing in relief as she hadn't been noticed by that monster in human skin. Sitting on an opposing chair, she propped her feat on the table and leaned back, staring at the ceiling with a hesitant expression.

 

"My name was MINA Night, a Series V doll replicated off the human sister of my creator, Erik Night, known by many as Phantom. With implanted memories and various other procedures, I'm pretty much an exact copy, except for my hair, of the human girl, Mina. Anyway, Damien Night, our oldest brother, used the combined efforts of machine and virus to evolve himself beyond anything man had ever seen before. Damien, my Master, and the Omega of the American infection."

 

Pausing for a brief moment, she closed her eyes and replayed some of the memories from that time. It didn't seem problematic to her before and Damien had convinced her that anyone outside of Erik's group was a monster who needed to be killed before they killed Erik. At first, it had seemed horrible to her, but it soon brought her joy as she thought stephe had been protecting Erik. Unfortunately, the realization had struck her when she saw Damien flinging Erik around like a rag doll, that she had been used just for that moment.

 

"Instead of infecting himself, he's trying to surpass Damien's theories and reconstruct himself into something that 'they could only dream of.' A perfect form of life, the molding of man and machine. As for his teleportation unit, it seems unstable. Whatever his power source is capable of, a LITTLE is a mere exaggeration. Also, he confuses my old power source with my original. Damien's, the one that's in all those reports, was far from infinite. It supplied enough energy to actively use my module, but Erik's... There's still no telling how much more energy I have. Three limiters are still emplaced on my core, meaning I'm only capable of using 2/5ths of the energy I could have. Equal, my ass."

 

Standing, Rena stroked a few fingers through her hair and smiled. Without another word, she flickered away in order to meet with Rusty and Edison. Appearing in the center of the room, arms crossed and a serious expression etched across her face, Rena stared at the thing that called itself Edison and grimaced.

 

"Immortality is a joke. Not even dolls live forever. Besides, it doesn't matter what you do, you'll never be as good as my brother. He's always a step ahead of you and your thieving of their ideas will come back to bite you. Hard. And let me say this, while you cry out, begging for help I'll be laughing at your misfortune. Anyway, let's see these parts you brought for Rusty."

 

[Thaelasan]

Edison shrugged.

"You continually put me down but you must remember, Miss Night, that the greatest human achievements were from people who were pushed into the dirt by their peers. Those who reach the sky often tasted the ground first, after all." he smiled, gesturing.

"We have a wide range of replacement parts here, pieces scavenged from before the war. Sadly, I only have two pieces from Series IV, as they weren't mass produced, especially not in Europe."

He pointed at the two parts, which were separate from the others.

"An actual functioning scanner device, which I checked and used myself by running it through radar. It also comes with a previous generation communications unit, since they hadn't yet discovered quicker ways of telepathy to dolls. Now, it's a mere fraction of a second, at least for you, Miss Night."

He then pointed at the other one, turning.

"This, of course, is a replacement torso, something I knew Rusty needed as quickly as possible. Limbs? Easy to find. Scattered everywhere. Torsos come with integrated power cells, every organ needed for basic survival, and attachments for improved nerve responses. He's been basically useless in combat, I take it?"

"Sadly..." Rusty kicked the ground. "I am... very.. VERY grateful Lord Edison, but I do not know if it is right to accept such kindnesses."

"Oh pish posh, if you excuse my old English." Lord Edison grinned. "You serve Wilson, correct? Then you owe me nothing. That man and I have known each other since we were but mere boys running through London pretending to be knights."

"...Then I shall accept, gladly, Lord Edison." Rusty bowed, walking over to the table.

Edison then turned to Renata, smiling pleasantly.

"I still wish we could get along better. After all, you heard, I take it, what all I was actually doing? As I said, I apologize for the deception but I doubt you would have let off such a potent blast haphazardly. Then again, I don't know you as well as I knew your human self. Even then, you were but a baby, only barely able to speak. I didn't visit America much, to be frank. My home is here, with my family and my history.

As for the power units, you're correct. I know very well that I will probably never achieve Erik's level of sophistication within the next.. say... 200 years or so. However, should I die, I have already left behind instructions for the next generation of Jamesons for my reincarnation. Dolls may not live forever but their minds do. Just as a human soul, the functions which create them are infinite. They are math. With the proper materials, they could be brought back to life as easily as if they were reborn. Like a phoenix, I will always guide the Jameson family, and protect them. You misunderstand my reasons for my research, Miss Night. I believe you think I wish to become a god. It's nothing so trite. I only wish for the power to save this dying glorious land from becoming dust and ash. This land has a history dating back to the beginning of time. To see it become such a disgrace would be a dishonor upon my family name. That is why I have taken it upon myself to borrow Erik's mentality until I have enacted suitable damage to those monstrosities. Then, you have my word that I will more than likely live out the rest of my existence in my chair, reading books that I've read many times before, talking to people who visit, and then sleeping each night before the fire in the hearth. This... this is my true dream, and I cannot die peacefully and without regret until that beast outside - and any others like him - are torn to shreds."

 

(( Zakku, I have bad news. I finally had the boredom and curiosity to look up that series you seem to be a fan of. The one about the four girls. Sadly, can't share your fandom. I don't like female protagonists, even if it's not fanservice. I can't ... BE the hero. Whenever I watch a series, I always.. place myself in the hero's shoes, which is why I hate harem animes and . I wouldn't do that. That's not the heroic thing, unless the guy turns away the other women for a single girl, like in Familiar of Zero.

And even then I like when it's equal in the number of men to women, like Dangan Ronpa and Btoom, and Sao.

Btoom and SAO were sick and you know it. Btoom, the last episode, oh my god so good. This 22 year old guy is finally getting the girl, and he says No. I won't do it. I won't go that far. I will save you and we will get out of this and we will take it slow. We have done too much to ruin it here. I'm going to make sure you survive just as much as I do. CUZ I'M A BADASS.

And don't even get me started on SAO Zakku you know how it is I will immediately begin a tirade probably consisting of two or three hours of typing long descriptive fanfiction ideas I had before I came up with the current comic idea and then I will rant about how good it is in detail before finally going over each light novel meticulously until you can't turn it away and decide it's amazing.

I DON"T CARE HOW FANTASTICAL AND PURE IT WAS. IT WAS THE GOOD ONE. NO HAREM BS. NO OVERDONE FANSERVICE EXCEPT THAT ONE EPISODE EVERYONE HATED ANYWAY, and it didn't even do anything. Nothing but pure, epic, combination attacks between a hero and a heroine fighting for the world and for each other like they should. Both of them equally represented as capable fighters but also explored as characters, with their own quirks and personalities.

EVEN THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS were basically main characters.

oh god I'm doing it.

Hold on. I'm stopping.

ANYWAY like I was saying. I always like male protagonists - not because of some sexist crap but because I like to BE the hero. I don't even like female protagonist games. I can't stand it. I'm not a girl. I can't play as a girl. It feels creepy and weird. Don't ask me to explain it.

If I was that hero, I'd be a beast with a beard, a shotgun, and I'd be in the middle of that action.

All about that action boss.

I would gladly serve alongside you in combat so long as I was allowed a half-cloak, beard, and maybe even a pair of sunglasses or a bandanna of sorts. I would then need to go get cut in battle, maybe on the arm or face, cuz every hardened man who has seen some has a battle scar. IT IS YOUR LIFE, MATE.

Regardless, I wish I could share in your fandom but I cannot. Just wanted to explain WHY before you started asking me because you like anime and I like anime but I have no idea which ones you like.

Also you don't seem to want to discuss them in detail, either because you know I talk too much or because you simply don't.

Or maybe you don't have the time? It's fine. I understand. You're fighting for FREEDOM. You don't have time to talk about Fandoms.

Probably don't even have a tumblr.

But I digress. I'm all about female animes. Let women have a shot at the spotlight fighting the enemy. But I can't even watch kill la kill or any of the other high rated ones because of it. Then again, I don't like any anime where the main guy is a straight up pervert.

Just... just overly so. I mean come on. That's just wrong.

You want a good example of my favorite type of protagonist? Naegi. Not even Kirito. Naegi. He didn't give a when he almost got executed. He let the girl lie because he trusted/maybeloved her. He actually forgave EVERYONE for convicting him. He didn't want to call out culprits. He saw everything and still didn't lose hope. He was quirky and optimistic and didn't even need a weapon to say YOU'RE WRONG, WOMAN.

And then he even made a foundation to help heal the world after the apocalypse because he just wanted to help people smile again. Just to see them see the world the way he does. The way I do.

But Kirito is still right under him, just .1 away from being above him. ))

[Clown_of_God]

"Reincarnation? A Phoenix? You seem to misunderstand something about this, this... transition you're going through. What do you think is going to happen when you implant that new brain of yours? Do you truly believe you're still going to be the same Edison Jameson? I can tell you, firsthand, that that is not going to be the case."

 

Rena looked at Rusty and then back at Edison. True, she had slightly misjudged him a tad bit, but what he was doing to himself to try and achieve these goals, these ideals, these ambitions. Every possible scenario she played through her memory unit came to two possible conclusions.

 

"There are two ways it could pan out:

1. Your memory unit could choose to accept your implanted memories, thoughts, feelings, etc. and try to replicate them, turning you into a 'photocopy' of the man you are now; or

2. Your memory unit could completely reject everything and try and form a sentience of its own. In other words, Edison Jameson was lost to his own ambitions.

When I first awoke, I had no idea what I was, who I was, or what my purpose in life was. Even with the memories and everything from Mina Night implanted into my mind, I was confused. I didn't know if that was me, or somebody I was supposed to meet, or somebody that had some purpose in my life."

 

Rena began to pace about, her facial expression becoming wary. These things, these segments of her past, were things she didn't even discuss with Damien. Of course, she never really needed to nor did she feel so inclined to do, but this man was going down a path that could do him more harm than good.

 

"TINA and I weren't the first replications of living people Erik tried to bring back. Our parents were also subjects, but they rejected the implants and abandoned Erik at the Dome. Going out to discover themselves and become their own being. Alice, ALI, went West towards the Sea Wall. Johnny, JON, went South to Central America. Both of them were a Series IV variant, not the kind you're familiar with, but a kind that puts what you know to shame. No offense, Rust bucket. Anyway, your methods and the way you're going about this righteous ideal of yours is what truly pisses me off. Using trickery and manipulative methods, stealing research that took years for my brothers to attain, just so you could try to become a true doll? Tell me, what is a true doll?"