It was a cold hour, the treatment of the stinging, dense air tap-dancing down Zoomchard's limp body as he dazed off, recounting memories that sprout in a wide slash of happiness in the structure of downy, perky handsome radiant white wings that flapped elegantly — bathed him dry as an innocent smile skulked his face.

Nobody was around, only the indistinct chatter ahead that mattered no purpose to Zoomchard, the crew he hanged around with were distracted with something and the worry of being eliminated by his kind laid low.

But Zoomchard grew impatient and wanted to move when his legs started itching for slight movements to enlighten Zoomchard's day that was increasing with boredom with all this equipment stuck in him. He was full of truitz and didn't need to stay in medical care anymore longer.

Knowing that the medic wouldn't be here until three hours later, Zoomchard crumpled his hands around the tubes on the side of his arms and yanked them out, creating a stream of smoke with a beeping noise to evaporate into the silence. Zoomchard, likewise, twisted his body around and sat up staring at the blocky screen a few inches in front of him standing on two thin metallic legs dangling with wires, reading the words, "Truitz level is at 99%".

Nodding to the words, Zoomchard checked all of the limits of his body, looking under his arms, inner thighs, to see if anything was tucked away. There wasn't anything else to find and Zoomchard stood up from the low bed that was an inch off the marble floor, feeling the dizziness ramp him stumbling.

"Eighteen hours of laying down without standing up are unhealthy for sure," Zoomchard snickered to himself as he began walking out of the hangar packed with the same type of beds Zoomchard was on, but most of the patients were Eithrem Alliance soldiers getting treated instead. Zoomchard felt weirded out that most of his enemies were being treated by the same soldiers that placed them in the situations they are in now, but ignored it and walked out of the hangar.

Just when Zoomchard felt he was alone, he was greeted with a familiar face. This time it was more of a grateful feeling than an "oh no, I'm fucked" feeling. It was one of the Classified Silence Knights, in particular, Zers Knight — after Zoomchard looked at the yellow armband wrapped around their left forearm first though. The knight waved exuberantly and Zoomchard waved back delicately.

"Hey, Zers! Where were you during the storm?" Zoomchard asked, watching Zers Knight do something with their arm after a blue screen hologram manifested. Zers Knight happily started tapping on the screen and words started to establish.

"I went into hiding." A happy, bright unisex voice is illustrated in the Conhuy language.

Zoomchard noted Zers Knight gasped in like they were expressing excitement and wanted to show Zoomchard something new like a child as their eyes visibly wrinkled underneath the helmet.

"That's awesome! Please, you're free to speak in your native language." Zoomchard chortle in the Foslampsi language.

"Would it not be hard though? Conhuy is easier to speak in." Zers Knight commanded the unisex voice to say in a monotonous mood.

"You underestimate me, Zerine." Zoomchard cackled, lightly shoving Zers Knight on the shoulder, nudging them back a little.

"Zerine?" Zers Knight invited curiously.

"Yeah, Zerine, instead of saying "Zers Knight" all the time. I'll call you Zerine instead; it's a unisex name." Zoomchard explained passionately, peering around him to see many bypassing soldiers scowling at Zoomchard and clicking their tongues like they were looking down on an outcast.

"Zerine… It has a nice ring to it." Zerine acknowledged, sarcastically clapping their hands together. Zoomchard dropped his jaw that occurred like he was offended in an exaggerated sassy way to the movement Zerine performed in response where Zerine was seen laughing in quietness to hide their real voice.

"What is your full name, by the way?" Zoomchard inquired.

"It's super long," Zerine warned, wiggling their hands sideways to try and force Zoomchard to focus onto another subject, it wasn't happening as Zoomchard's curiosity peaked and he now grieved answers as he stepped closer, using his toes to stand him higher.

"Come on," Zoomchard encouraged, revealing his bloated, villain grin that gave Zerine the creeps.

"Alright. Fine, it's Zerjunelormettena Aju-Perine Lashidupelver…" Zerine whimpered in defeat as they erratically typed away, successfully having Zoomchard backed away but defeated in hidden identity as Zerine wasn't amazing under pressure.

"Is there a reason why it's so long? Did your parents just close their eyes and pick random words?" Zoomchard said, perplexed.

"What? No, no… weird enough, it's a Foslampsi culture thing to do. I don't know where it began but it just became a trend, like a meme, to name your children long names. It kind of became competitive so now everyone from Foslampsi has a very long name to be unique and "stand out". I find it critically stupid though." Zerine clarified.

"Can't you just change it legally?"

"Nah we can't do that. It's illegal to do that in our nation."

"Why? It shouldn't be illegal at all."

"The reason why it's illegal is that notorious serial killers were changing their names on a basis to throw off the law enforcement that tracks down DNA that goes back to your name after being imprinted at birth."

"Of course, it's a thing caused by criminals. That's hilarious," Zoomchard snickered, finding himself staring at jars of Conhuy truitz displayed in a long, endless line of a market. "I don't think Foslampsi truitz is in this section," Zoomchard said after checking the market out, finding no signs of Foslampsi Truitz.

"It's probably down there if you go by the tilting at the top." Zerine mentioned, signalling at the green bold letters written as "Conhuy Truitz Section C" on a metallic board above the head of a black robot with green eyes. Zoomchard read the words and looked down the line of the market separated by a cut to see another metallic board saying "B" rather than "C".

"Hello, Mx. If you're wondering where the Foslampsi Truitz section is, walk down the lane and you will find it." The tall black male robot with a rough, coughing voice said in a mannered, formerly way to Zerine in the Conhuy language as Zoomchard and Zerine were casually speaking Zerine's native language like it was just a normal day.

"Ah, thank you." Zoomchard thanked the employee with a small smile in his language.

"I wasn't talking to you." The employee instantly smeared its disgust on Zoomchard, spitting aggressively.

"Please don't talk to him like that." Zerine pleaded in the Conhuy language.

"Do you have clear eyes? This is an "it", not a he. It's a disease." The employee snapped, "Thus, the disease shall be treated how it's supposed- '' The employee confidently continued, but strangely went modest and shivered in fear when the employee laid eyes on Zoomchard, dropping a jar of Conhuy truitz that then splashed all over the place.

"I'm sorry…" The employee teared up, rolling his eyes everywhere to avoid Zoomchard's gaze.

"You're sorry? Finally, see Zoomchard, you don't have-'' Zerine giggled, twirling their eyes over to Zoomchard and froze like prey as they felt a chill wash down their body.

Zoomchard stood with a steady, unblinking, dark, unimpassioned glare that trembled the surroundings with fear as a powerful, unbreakable intent leaked from out of Zoomchard. His eyes gawked like a lusting, savage beast freed from the cracking chains that were trapped by the holy knights. Breaking all of the pieces that the employee and Zerine held proudly, shattering the colourful glint that made Zoomchard kindhearted into a bleak, lifeless apprehension. Weakening the fearless into feared victims, everyone, in a mile radius of Zoomchard, found themselves spooked, terrified and captured in a cage, watching the surface decay. The sky was noticeably more reddish and gleaned depravity. The clouds shrivelled into pitch-black.

"Zoomchard?..." Zerine whimpered, tugging Zoomchard by the shoulder as their hands trembled, feeling the pressure being lifted off their mind as Zoomchard glanced at Zerine with a polite, comforting smile as something snapped in Zoomchard and he went back to his old ways.

"Yeah, what's up?" Zoomchard replied, paying the scared employee shrunken in the corner as he took a jar.

"Nothing… don't worry."

--

After hanging out together for an hour, Zerine still felt uneasy as they couldn't stop rehearsing that scary, unfamiliar look from Zoomchard a moment ago. Both were called on the radio from Derton, talking about a new operation in the making.

When both reached the area Derton said, a desolate wasteland just off the coast of a small village in occupied territory, most of the crew were seen hunching around Derton. Zerine completely changed, they went from an outgoing robot to an anti-social robot in the matter of silence as they met up with Bers Knight and Vers Knight. Zoomchard moved next to Belthrissa as he felt the most comfortable around because Belthrissa showed she enjoyed the presence of Zoomchard when Belthrissa brightened up after seeing him in a blink when she was moody before.

"Right, it looks like everyone is healthy. How is everyone feeling about doing another operation?" Derton clarified, involving everyone as he looked at everyone, waiting for a response.

"Maybe Zoomchard?" Belthrissa raised a point, dragging the attention and throwing it all on Zoomchard who wasn't ready in the slightest.

"Zoomchard?" Derton implored.

"I'm good, I'm healthy enough to work," Zoomchard answered agitated, finding anything to fiddle with as he felt the eyes on him were heavy and bitter.

"You can all do something. I'm still worried that I might hurt my legs even more if I move around too much." Rolthe excused, as he was now standing and slapped the thigh of his leg.

"And not drag us down?" Hent queried.

"Pfft, don't get your hopes up too high." Rolthe snickered, patting Hent on the back, "One day I'll think of you first." Rolthe added in a teasing attitude.

"You skinny, ugly, vile, prick." Hent scoffed.

"Don't compliment me too much. You'll distract me." Rolthe said, imitating a kiss that he blew with his hands as he rolled away.

"Distract him with what? All he does is fail at impressing the ladies," Feren disrespected Rolthe behind his back.

"Eh, young and stubborn-" Pacho went to say.

"Shut up, old man." Ghus interrupted playfully, grinning to Pacho's offended look as he stepped back and plucked his lips.

"It's one sign the boys are ready!" Anatolia laughed hysterically, slamming her hand on the back of Ghus that plummeted him on the ground.

"Damn," Feren and Hent whistled to Ghus groaning as he quivered to get up on his feet.

"Looks like you all are ready." Derton raised his voice to begin the planning.

--

An hour later of planning and interruptions, Derton offered Zoomchard to step aside after the planning to have a chat about something. Zoomchard waited as the crew dispersed and waddled over to Derton who was done finishing his love talk with Menos and waited for his acknowledgement.

"Ah, right, Zoomchard," Derton said, glancing around him before pulling Zoomchard in closer, "Are you feeling okay?" Derton questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can't you see?" Zoomchard answered, gesturing down and up at his body.

"It seems so but one of the medics came to inform me that you left while it was at 99%." Derton referenced the moment Zoomchard left the room.

"That's true, my legs were begging to walk around and I found myself talking with Zers Knight." Zoomchard resolved the mystery honestly.

"Talking with Zers Knight?!" Derton shouted in shock, "Zers Knight never spoke to me." He added in frustration with a little hint of guilt thinking he insulted Zerine accidentally at some point.

"Well, I found them near the market and so I tried having a conversation with Zers Knight but it was just an awkward moment." Zoomchard lied, believing he said something he shouldn't have after he encountered Zerine changing into the anti-social identity they were originally when meeting up with the other knights.

"Oh, okay. So did you encounter that weird moment as well?" Derton raised a question Zoomchard felt weird about.

"Weird moment?"

"You don't know?"

"Not of my knowledge, no…"

"Honestly, I'm still shaking from it and it's been over an hour. This gut-wrenching, horrible tension filled the air and it felt like I was being pressured by the Creations. It was a frightening moment, I saw my worst fears just play out in my mind. I wasn't alone because everyone else around me faced the same situation." Derton rambled on, leaving Zoomchard on the verge of doubt.

"Anyway, please check yourself in again and be fully healed this time." Derton smiled.

"Uhuh…" Zoomchard mumbled, finding himself walking through crowds of robots, questioning his doubt and peering everywhere to find a specific object. Just as he gave up, a robot walked past him holding a large mirror the size of Zoomchard — Zoomchard immediately followed this red robot to a secluded area a mile away from the gathering of robots, it was some sort of rubbish area where dead robots and other stuff were stashed.

Zoomchard hid behind a wall to a hut and waited for the robot to pass, the robot eventually left the area and Zoomchard jogged over to the mirror, prancing it in a portrait to get a good look at himself.

A feeling, so intense and intimidating, was scurrying around Zoomchard as he looked at the deep scars around his arms and body. He took a deep inhale and closed his eyes, imagining that one specific moment Zoomchard felt the world stop. As he focused more, the feeling grew stronger and stronger, it grew so strong Zoomchard felt the urge to act violently.

All of a sudden, a crack under Zoomchard widened his eyes open as he looked at the crack, finding the surface underneath him was dented by his feet and outlined Zoomchard. Zoomchard felt like speaking but was restrained and found himself subconsciously staring at the mirror, watching a green mist flare around his eyes.

Odd, Zoomchard thought, he was rested and calm in reply.

The outburst of green mist flowing destructively around Zoomchard, the calm demeanour that hid the hidden surface of carnage as the dent underneath started evolving in size but had no sounds to what would be a loud noise. Zoomchard wasn't weirded out at all, he just felt soothing, lifeless, and emotionless.

Like a real robot.

In a split second, a flicker of a cyan and white robot appeared, the same size as Zoomchard, caught his attention as the small fragile being, flapping in wide blue robotic wings, levitating over Zoomchard's shoulder as her hands gently caressed Zoomchard's face but the texture wasn't felt. She was like a ghost, watching over Zoomchard and appeared like a petite humanoid woman, her eyes were puncturing green and they pulled Zoomchard in when she looked at the mirror, directly at Zoomchard's eyes.

Zoomchard followed the white soft hands rubbing the corner of Zoomchard's eyes that began a chain of a green glow fashioning Zoomchard's dead grey eyes. The green glow, taking over the dull touching grey, gleamed brighter until the only thing seen in the mirror was the green glow. The glow then slowly faded away and Zoomchard saw a different individual, it wasn't him at all. It was a fully white robot, five delicate tentacles with sharp blades at the end extracted from the back, flashed by the green eyes that were the only thing there was on an indefinable face — it was a smooth face, no mouth, no nose, no eyelids, just two unblinking, glowing green eyes.

"You're finding yourself again. The real you is coming, my master, in his fullest glory, will appear again. Come, master, come. Your loyal creation is waiting for your return. Return…" The angelic robot mouthed, having no sounds or vibrations escaping her mirage.

Before Zoomchard could speak a single word, the mirror exploded and went everywhere, leaving Zoomchard phased and finding a sense of worry become clear as he looked behind him. When he looked behind him, the only thing he saw was a corpse and no remains of whatever the cyan and white robot were supposed to be.

Only the words, "Return in your fullest glory…" were written on the ground to leave Zoomchard puzzled about what just happened.