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"Seventeen"Written By: Debs-dragon Disclaimer: I dont own the guys I just play with them. Don't sue... no money :) Psyprass and Calisto appear courtesy of themselves as does Matty. We all know that 18 came back after the cell games but what of 17? Once her returned what happened to him? I wrote this fic for another friend on the 'madman' board. Rating PG 13 Android arc # 8
SEVENTEEN Debs-dragon Dec 2001 Chapter 2 The next day found Matt & Juu walking up the path to knock on the door of a quaint cottage deep in the recesses of the forest. The door opened and they were greeted by a pair of questioning hazel eyes. "Hello there." said Juu quietly and extended her hand before continuing. "My name is Juuhachigou and this is my husband Matthew." Matty moved forward and looked at the young girl before him. "Hi there" he smiled. Calisto's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the android before her, she swallowed and trembled as fear overtook her and the powers of speech completely deserted her. Her brain was refusing to comprehend that she was face to face with one of the nightmares that had plagued the planet regardless of how 'normal' she was now. Juu sighed softly. She still hadn't gotten used to this sort of reaction from people. Oh it was the usual thing, the stares of shock, horror and disbelief when they first met her. No matter how many times it happened it still cut her to the core. "I believe you rang me in relation to my brother?" she asked burying her own hurt feelings yet again as she looked at the still scared teen in the doorway. Calisto, try as she might couldn't pull her eyes away from the woman and her voice refused to return. Fortunately Psyprass chose that moment to come in. Juu raised her eyes as she watched another young girl approach. This one was slightly taller and had dark hair. Psyprass quickly assessed the situation and smiling came forward offering her hand and gently nudging Calisto to the side. "Hello there." she said, her tone cheerful. "Thankyou so much for comming." she shook hands warmly with Juu " Please forgive my friend, My name is Psyprass and this is Calisto." Psyprass inclined her head in the direction of the silent blonde beside her. "Pleased to meet you Psyprass." said Juu as she returned the girls warm handshake. She nodded to the blonde... "Calisto." Calisto looked up at the mention of her name. "Hello." she managed to whisper. "This is my husband Matthew." said Juu Matt reached forward & shook the proffered hand. "Pleased to meet you." he said. Psyprass slapped her forehead. "What am I thinking? Where are my manners? Please forgive me, come in... come in...." she said and proceeded to usher Juu & Matt inside and down the hallway to the lounge room indicating for them to sit. Calisto followed at a safe distance, still unsure about the other blonde. Psyprass, noticing that her friend was still uncomfortable in Juu's presence asked her to make some refreshments for them. Calisto looked at her friend with obvious relief on her face and smiling gratefully she disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. The tension that had been so thick in the air also thinned considerably with Calisto's departure. Sitting on the couch Matt put his arm protectively around Juu's shoulders and she leaned back into the touch drawing comfort and strength from Matt's warm body. Psyprass cleared her throat. "I'm sorry about my friend. She doesn't mean any harm. I'm afraid it has all been quite a shock and rather a large adjustment for her and she is still having problems comming to terms with it all." Juu smiled. "It's quite all right. I'm not offended in anyway. I really do understand how my presence can affect some people and I dont bear any grudges." she said as she looked at the other girl. Psyprass sighed, letting go of a breath she wasn't even aware that she had been holding. "Thank you again for coming. I'm sure that this must have come as quite a shock to you too." "Thats an understatement." muttered Matty under his breath. Juu gave him a not so gentle dig in the ribs. "Ow!..." hissed Matty. Juu giggled. Psyprass raised an enquiring eyebrow. "Err... sorry." said Matt looking sheepish. "Please continue...." and he gave Juu a huffy stare. Psyprass began the long tale of her discovery of Juunanagou and the events that had come to pass since bringing him to the workshop. As she came to the conclusion of her story so Calisto returned with a heavily laden tray and her composure back to normal. She couldn't help but continue to dart glances across to the other blonde when she thought no one was watching. Juu smiled and did her best to put the girl at her ease. With the conclusion of the story Juu sat back and began to run all the data through her head. Matty looked at both the teens and winked. "Now we wait while she debates, dissects, divides and digests all of that information." he said with a nod of his head in Juu's direction. Psyprass tried to suppress a smile. Juu gave Matt a funny look. "Baka!" she said simply before focusing on Psyprass once more. "So you have repaired all the physical structural damage?" "Yes." "All the circuitry and wiring okay?" "All is tested and fully operational." "What about regeneration?" "Healing at the expected normal rate given the skin grafting etc." "Hmmm. So it is just the main data and memory banks that remain?" "Yes." Juu disappeared into deep thought yet again. The ticking of the clock grew louder as the silence stretched on. All became lost in their own thoughts. Psyprass was hoping that Juu would be able to help her unlock 17's memory and data banks without the android taking up where he left off. Juu was searching her own memory for something she knew was buried deep within, something that would help her brother. Calisto was wondering just how the heck she had managed to get herself into the position where she was in close proximity to the 2 most deadliest beings in the universe and if it would be possible for her to go and visit another of their friends without it looking like she was running away. Matthew was racking his brain trying to remember if he had locked the back door to the house or not. "Thats it!" said Juu snapping her fingers and sitting up. Calisto jumped in fright and automatically ducked behind Psyprass expecting to be annihilated at any second. Psyprass raised her eyebrows. Matty, realising that there was nothing he could do about the door now turned his attention back to the girls. "You have a solution?" asked Psyprass. "I'm pretty sure I have." replied Juu. "Great!" "There's only one way to find out though." "Okay, so when do we get started?" Juu took a deep breath. "No time like the present." "Lets go then." said Psyprass as she rose from the couch. "Lead on Mc Duff." replied Juu as she got up and following Psyprass steeled herself for what was to come. Juu followed Psyprass through the house and out the back door, her mind was still awash with thoughts. Matt was right behind his wife ready to protect her at all costs. Although just how much good he would be remained to be seen as his wife was far stronger than he was, a fact that had he had been made fully aware of on a few occasions. Still his male pride won thorough and he continued to follow the girls down the path and to the door that indicated the entrance to the workshop. Psyprass opened the door and Juu reached behind looking for and finding Matt's hand. Psyprass flipped on the light switch and instantly the room was bathed in a warm yellow glow. The soft hum of machinery floated in the airways. Juu looked around slowly. It was a spacious room with shelving down one wall, a large bench complete with sink took up most of the other wall. Machinery, tools, bits of wire, nuts and bolts lay scattered around. In the centre stood a large table with a cloth draped over it. Juu, taking all of this in shivered and squeezed Matty's hand, drawing reassurance from him. Psyprass looked at her and asked softly, "Ready?" Juu took a deep breath and nodded her affirmation. Psyprass walked over to the table and reaching forward removed the cover. Matt felt Juu's body tremble and then tense as her eyes alighted on her brother's form for the first time in years. She walked forward, burning every detail into her memory banks. The new sneakers and blue / grey jeans. She smiled when she saw the white shirt complete with its matching black overshirt and the orange bandanna that graced the neck. She noticed his hair had been washed and had a soft sheen to its blackness giving it an almost deep blue hue. Reaching forward she ran her fingers down his cheek savouring the feel of his cool skin. "Juunanagou..." she whispered and bit her lip as a tear formed and spilling over ran down her cheek and launched itself into space only to be trapped by gravity and splash on Juunanagou's nose. Matty tightened his grip on her hand. He was having his own battle with emotion but on a different level. Seeing 17 lying there raised feelings of revulsion, revulsion for what the android had done and represented. His first instinct told him to run, just run & get the hell out of there, get as far away from that monster as he could. His second instinct told him to destroy the android. Blow it up, finish it for good while it was deactivated so that it couldn't do any more damage to the earth and it's people. But then he looked at 18 and his compassion won through. Maybe it was possible. After all Juuhachigou had once been like the creature before him, a killing machine. But now.... now she was gentle, quiet, kind and loving. She had been given a second chance and he owed it to her to at least try to give Juunanagou a second chance. Psyprass coughed. Juu returned to the present and putting her feelings aside regained her composure & looked at Psyprass. "So what did you have in mind?" asked Psyprass. Juuhachi cast her eyes from Psyprass to Matt & back again, then she spoke slowly and deliberately. "When I was 'wished' to be made non lethal so to speak my circuitry was changed... modified somehow. I have located the chip in my data banks and if my calculations are correct then all you need to do is to remove the chip, copy it and then place the copy into Juunanagou's data banks, then it should effectively render him incapable of the type of violence we were originally programmed for. Its kinda like re programming but wont take as long as the usual way and all desire for destruction is gone." Psyprass beamed at this information. "It all sounds so simple." Matt frowned "Yeah it does. But what about you Juu? What happens when we take the chip out of your data banks? Wont that damage you or return your urge to kill & destroy?" Juu sighed. "I'm not really sure what will happen and thats why I think it would be best if I am shut down before you remove the chip. Then you can re activate me when the chip is replaced." Matty shook his head. "No. I don't like this idea. What happens if we damage the chip? Or if we cant return it to the right spot? There are too many risks... too many if's...." Juu reached for Matty's arm and looking deep into his eyes said "I need to do this Matthew. Please trust me as I trust you to bring me through safely. I have to do this for my brothers sake... please try to understand that." "But I love you Juu. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you." said Matt quietly, his eyes downcast. "Nothing is going to happen to me." she smiled. "Besides I have both you and Psyprass to make sure that I am okay..." and lowering her voice so only Matt could hear "I love you Matt and thats a good enough reason for me to make sure that everything is okay ." Matty hugged her close and said "Okay, you win." "Thank you Matt." she said softly her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Psyprass laid the blueprints out on the bench as Matty fired up the computer and began to call up the data that they would need to make this whole thing work. Juu sat in a chair next to the table that was graced with her brother's presence. "See you on the flip side." she said nervously and gave Matt a quick kiss. "I'll be waiting." he replied and gently stole her lips in a long lingering kiss as his hands ran through the silkiness of her hair searching for and finding the spot he was looking for. He gently pressed, carefully sending Juu into a suspended state. Releasing her lips and settling her form comfortably into the chair he turned. "Okay, she's ready." he managed to say, his voice strangled as he removed his arms from around his wife's body. "She will be fine. I promise." said Psyprass and she gave Matt's arm a reassuring squeeze. "She had better be." he muttered darkly under his breath. Psyprass moved over and pushed a small hidden button on the back of Juu's neck. She repeated the action on Juunanagou. A soft hiss then a pop was heard as a small panel just above the ear lifted up and slid back revealing a complex series of wires, mini circuit boards and a cluster of chips. Using a very fine pair of tweezers Psyprass extracted a red coloured chip from Juuhachigou and brought it over to a small machine that was hooked up to the computer. Matty turned his head. Although he was fully aware that Juu was an android it still made him feel ill to actually see the wires and steel mechanics that were her basic life system. he concentrated on the information that the computer was downloading and analysing from the chip. After what seemed to be an age to Matt but was in fact mere minutes the computer indicated that it had finished downloading. Psyprass removed the corresponding chip from Juunanagou's system and carefully placed it in the machine. She carefully removed the other chip before closing the lid. As she turned to go & place the chip back into Juuhachigou so Matt's eyes met hers and she saw a momentary glimpse of panic pass there. Psyprass acknowledged Matts uncertainty. "I will be careful." she stated simply and then proceeded to return the chip to its rightful place and switch Juuhachigous power system back on. Matt turned and focused his concentration back to the task of downloading and re programming Juunanagou's chip. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he sent the various commands on their way then hitting the enter button he leaned back flexing and cracking his fingers. "Now we wait..." he stated flatly. Various numbers, symbols and formula flashed across the monitor with frightening speed, the machine housing the chip began to hum and glow. Psyprass leant up against the bench, arms folded. Matt got up & walked over to Juu. Slowly her circuits were comming back on line. It would take a few more minutes yet before she was fully functional again. Absently Matt brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face as his eyes pleaded silently for her safe return to him. The computer beeped and the machine clicked, indicating that the process was completed. Psyprass walked over and opened the machine. Gingerly she removed the chip and carrying it carefully, she placed it back in its original position. Then she closed the panel but made no attempt to switch the power on. Matty raised a questioning eyebrow. "I would rather wait until your wife is fully operational before I start him up." Matthew nodded. He could understand the logic in that.
If the data transfer was unsuccessful then they were going to need
Juuhachigou's help to restrain him. He shuddered and hoped it would
not come to that.
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