The Titanium Ninja

Taken

Thank you for choosing the Pixane route! The Jay and Lloyd chapter will come after this one. I love hearing what you guys comment, it always makes me smile! Thank you and enjoy the chapter!

Borg Industries: Three Months After the Memorial

Pixal fidgeted anxiously as the factory line whirred and groaned at the strain of her secret project, not even Mister Borg knew what she had been up to for the past three months. A shy smile grew on her silver lips as she remembered the day of the memorial.

The young android stared down at the funeral in the park below Borg Tower, she felt a strong ache in her shared heart at the thought of her lost love. Gently resting her head against the cool window pane, she closed her eyes and silently wished that Zane would come back.

It's a fool's wish, she thought. You can't just wish for someone to come back to life. 

She sighed, closed her eyes, and continued to wish that Zane would return, even though she knew it was impossible. A soft whirring caught her attention, she turned around and noticed all of the monitors in the office turning on, static filling each of the screens. Something was very wrong, the monitors should all be off.

"You are Zane, a droid like me. What does "Zane" stand for?"

Pixal jolted, her own voice echoing in the massive office, several of the screens flickered and showed her own reflection.

"I stand for peace, freedom, and courage-!" Zane's voice echoed, artificial tears formed in Pixal's green eyes.

The screens flickered again, this time they were in the circus caravan, heading to the storm farm. "Your hardware is outdated and your processor is slow and incompatible. Your father built you from spare parts, but this piece is unique, perhaps if I take a closer look." Zane suddenly yelped, Pixal flinched at the sound. "I'm sorry I caused you pain, I was curious to see why you are so different."

Zane reached out and held her white hands, "We're all different, but I don't feel so different around you."

Pixal looked around at the numerous screens, shaking softly. "Zane? Is that you?"

"You are vital to me," Zane's voice said.

"You are vital to me," Pixal echoed. "I shall see you again."

The screens started shaking and sparking, showing the image of the factory line as Zane choked out, "I'm...just...Zane."

Pixal covered her mouth in shock, she scrambled to the elevator and pressed the button to take her to the first floor, once there she ran to the stairwell to the basement. This can't be happening, this can't be happening, Pixal thought, repeating with every step closer to the factory line.

She arrived at the door, opening it quickly, hoping to see Zane waiting for her on the tracks. Her heart sank slightly, but she refused to give up hope. She stepped onto the line, looking around at the machines, just before the track carried her out to the center of the factory. She spun around, a bright smile on her face as she saw the machines turn to her, each glowing a soft blue.

"Are we compatible now?" Zane's voice echoed, Pixal fell to her knees. All she could do was nod as artificial tears poured down. "My sweet Pixal, please do not cry," he cooed, a hologram of him flickered in front of her. He knelt down, a smile on his blue face, as he placed a transparent hand on her cheek.

"H-How did you survive?" She asked, wiping away her tears.

"I believe it had to do with two things: the Digiverse and being a nindroid. All I know is after the battle with the Overlord, I woke up in the Digiverse," he said, staring at his holographic hands. "It took me a while to be able to connect to the server here, even longer to try to connect to you."

She stood up, concern suddenly taking hold. "The ninja, they do not know that you are still alive! They're having a memorial for you at the moment."

"I am aware," Zane said somberly. "It would not be wise to reveal myself at this moment, I'm not sure how they would react, especially if they all believe that I have departed."

"What if we create a new body for you?" She offered. "For then we can bring your friends back and reunite you with them."

"Are you sure we can build a new body for me?" He asked. "I thought the Overlord used up all of the metal."

"We can always order more."

The two quickly got to work, Zane pulled up his original blueprints, before it was changed to suit the Nindroid Army, while Pixal made an order for a shipment of titanium. She did not want anything to happen to her nindroid.

Zane's hologram stood beside her as the machines worked off of the blueprint. Two titanium arms rolled past them, full of weapons and new technology, a serious upgrade from Zane's old body. Two titanium legs followed not to long after, glistening in the artificial lights. Then came the body cavity, hollow, no power source yet, that was still being made.

Zane squirmed slightly as his new head rolled past, Pixal glanced up and quietly murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Do not worry about me," he said, giving her a smile. "How long will the building take?"

"One hour and twenty-four minutes," she said.

They fell silent, watching the machines work overtime. Unknown to either of them, the building's security was being hacked into by a mysterious figure, the cameras all over the tower shut down. The security drones sparked and powered down, the front doors lay unlocked, Pixal and Zane left vulnerable. Time quickly flew by for the two droids, until Zane's new body was plugged into the system. The hologram stood beside the lifeless body, he glanced up at her, making sure everything was ready.

"All that is left is for you to download yourself in, your memories will follow after," she said, looking up from the screen. Pixal turned to him, "Are you ready?"

He nodded, "Let's do this." His hologram flickered and disappeared, several progress bars appeared on her screen; ZANE.EXE, MEMORIES.EXE, WEAPONS.EXE, CALIBRATION_TEST.EXE, SPEECH.EXE, and several more. Pixal watched as each of the bars slowly filled up to 100%, all was going well until the door to the factory line opened. She spun around, holding a hand out to protect her vulnerable nindroid. A man wearing a red conical hat, a red mask, black gloves and a partially-armored outfit.

"Who are you?" Pixal asked, her eyes narrowing.

The man chuckled, "Just someone finishing up a job." He pulled out a glowing blue bola, surges of electricity sparking into the air. He quickly twirled it above his head and threw it, it wrapped around her legs, she cried out as she was overpowered with the electricity. Pixal sparked and powered down, collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thud. Zane, unable to do anything, could only watch in horror as his beloved was taken out.

The man walked past Pixal and up to Zane, humming softly as he started unplugging wires from Zane's titanium body.

"P-Ple-ease...d-don't-t..." Zane stuttered, the soft glow of his eyes flickering.

The man never hesitated, with one pull he removed the final cord from Zane's head. Zane shuddered and powered down as all of the screens flashed red, ERROR signs popped up on the screens.

ERROR!! DOWNLOAD INTERRUPTED!! the screens warned. MEMORIES.EXE NOT FULLY DOWNLOADED!! ERROR!! ERROR!!

The man carried Zane over his shoulder, lugging him out to his cloaked vehicle in the back of the tower, then went back for Pixal.

"I'll get some good coin for these two," he mumbled, a smirk on his face.