Zero stopped laughing and let the young Zain grab ahold of his finger, "That's not a problem. Zain has all his memories from before. It'll be a little wierd until we can explain it to him properly but you don't have to worry about him mistaking your for his mom." Callen gruffly spoke up, "His speaking will need to be redeveloped so if he does say the word mom, it's only because he's trying to learn how to talk." Nicholi shoved his hands in his pockets, "We should be going now. We'll be back in a week to see how he's doing." Little Zain cast his large blue eyes toward Nicholi and Nick pulled out something from his pocket, "That's right, you want this don't you." he let the child grab the small gold locket and gummed it. "That locket has the last picture of Zain's parents before they were killed."
Zero managed to pry little Zain from Nicholi and handed him to Yuki, "He's your responsibility now. We'll be back in a few weeks to check his growth progress....unless you'd let Nick and I stay for awhile...?"
Zero laughed and Nicholi watched the little hand reach out of the bundle toward Yuki, "He won't be little forever." Zain's eyes opened and large blue eyes stared at the people around him. Nicholi reflexively pulled the small bundle back into his arms and cuddled him against his chest. Zero watched nervously, "Nick, loosen up bro. He's fragile."
Zero grinned and nodded, "Sure did...well, maybe not like we'd thought it would but he's normal and alive again and probably will be the same as the Zain you knew. He just...uh..." Callen sighed and pushed Nicholi forward, "He needs to grow up first." Nicholi held out the little bundle of cloth and tiny human to Yuki, "First hand experience of Zain. His growth has been excellerated unfortunately."
Lightning stood, shaking from the impact. She switched to her Medic mode for a moment and healed her wounds as best she could. She gave a nod to Odin and his double sided scythe lifted, bringing down Thundaga on Omega as she switched back to her Commando role and buried her gunblade into Omega's back. "Don't you antagonize my Eidolin and turn your back on me!"
A few months later, Zero and the others returned. Dark circles under their eyes and a five o'clock shadow across their faces. Except Nicholi. His rust colored eyes were bright as he carried a small bundle of cloth back into Toji's home. "Hey Yuki, Toji, we're back! Sorry it took so long but...we had a few problems but they worked themselves out." Callen couldn't remember how many Zain's had died and what they'd each tried to do. "What kind of a replica tries to bite himself to death. For crying out loud. Not a lot of replica's are so creative in trying to die."
Zero huffed, "I'll make sure nothing goes wrong with it. WE'll begin immediately." Zero jumped up and left, hurrying back to the car. Nicholi, Zero and Callen disappeared down the road.
Zero gave her a hard look, "Are you sure? Reconstruction of DNA is...a lot more sucessful than you think. He won't necessarily turn out like Nicholi or Ari."
Zero nodded, "Yeah...but at least he was human for a while. Unlike my brothers and I. Would you rather have him be reconstructed by the Doctor?" Nicholi sat inside the leather car with Callen silently. "I think I have a problem." "I know...you killed a Deathchild, Nicholi. It's time we either took you away or killed you right here. Which would you rather have?" Nicholi tapped his claws on the dashboard, "I think I'd rather live, Callen. But, if in case I can't control this...no, I'd rather live." Callen nodded. THe exchange between the most emotionless shadows would've had a normal human reeling.
Nicholi nodded, removing his hand and staring at the extended nails, "Ah, this day could not get any worse." tucking his hand into his deep pockets of his trench coat, Nicholi headed away from the house, toward the car Zero had flung himself out of. Zero slumped down beside Yuki and stared at the floor, "You okay?"
Nicholi grabbed Zero's arm and spun him around, "What was that?" "What?" "That look. Just because you spend a few days with Callen, suddenly you know what kind of shadow I am?" his red eyes ceased leaking blood and glowed that vibrant rust color. "Zero, you'd best watch your words. Now, would you go check on Yuki." Nicholi turned to Toji, his eyes returning to how they always were and rested a hand on his shoulder, "I hope I didn't make things worse by showing her Zain's fate." He barely noticed the nails on his hands growing longer and to a sharp point.
Xenree huffed; more people to look out for. She wasn't going to enjoy this trip very much with all them around, being noisy. "is there anybody else we're picking up or are we heading out to do as Sora and Riku did before?"
Zero slowly turned to Nicholi, "You...killed...Deathchild? Nicholi...?" He gave him a look as if to warn everyone a disaster was coming. Nicholi gave him a blank look, "What? I'm completely in control of my actions. If you start thinking this is because of the DNA reconstruction, I'm going to slap you." Zero flicked his eyes to Nicholi's hands and back to his blank face. "Alright...if you say so." He turned to Yuki and Toji and shot them a look as if to say 'keep an eye on him'.
Nicholi answered before Zero could open his mouth, "Of course not, Yuki. Zero only means that it's a shock that Zain is gone." Zero nodded frantically, "But...if he's gone...what's going to happen to Ari? And what about Daieko? Where's that filthy Deathchild?"
Lightning tossed Noah to the ground with a frustrated growl, she felt her brand heat up and burst from it a rose shaped pink crystal. "Odin!" She threw it up and followed, her gunblade slicing into it. Like a flower blooming, a large pink area spread out and Odin stretched, scattering rose petals around. Lightning dropped down from the air, catching Odin's outstretched hand and flinging her into a flip so she could land on her feet. "Cut us a path!" Her movements in synch with Odin's, she let him fling her at Omega as he gripped Grey and pulled him away from the Banish spell. Light's gunblade smashed into Omega, sending chips of crystal scattering. "You want a fight; pick it with a more experienced l'Cie!"
Zero blinked at the sudden informations, "Excuse me? Gone as in dead? Wh-what the hell! I thought he'd be fine after that cure! We left him in your hands to make sure he'd be okay!" Nicholi glumly and emotionlessly put a hand on Zero's shoulder, "Gone as in dead. Zero, Zain was going to die one way or another. This was something that needed to happen." Zero fell silent.
"Yes...your brother's destiny has already been written for him, as have all of the shadow's you've met so far. We're all going to-" A car with tinted windows rolled up into Toji's driveway, cutting off Nicholi's words. Zero jumped out of the passenger seat and hurried over to the three, "Hey, where's Zain?! What're you guys doing standing out here?"
"Orphan and Cara fight once every few years. Each time she's reborn, Orphan waits until she remembers her destiny and summons her back there. Each time, Cara loses and dies, but her soul remains in tact and is reborn again a few years later." Nicholi thought his explanation served well enough.
OOC: um...I think we all know the issue here. What's happened to the other side of the story?
Lightning pushed herself to her feet and hobbled to check on the others. She probed each of them for their brands. Finding each one of them, strengthened her resolve. Hearing Jaden's lack of concern, she turned on her heel and punched him in the jaw. Knocking him to the ground, "Would you grow up?! Being a l'Cie isn't a game. If you do not complete your focus before your brand evolves to it's final stage, you will become Ceith and wander Pulse as a monster that will be killed by PSICOM when they find you." Lightning set her blue eyes on Noah, "And you...you stand beside Jenny or whoever she is and now you claim to be with us? Who are you? What is your focus?"
