Chapter Thirty Four: Union.

"did you know that the word 'wedding' actually originally meant 'a gamble' ... ?
well it does!"

-a random fact from emperorwolf.

kevin adjusted his black tie, he was standing in front of a mirror in a white fabric tent, wearing a black pair of tuxedo pants and a white longsleeve shirt.
he was panting quickly, hyperventilating.
someone put a paw on his shoulder "kevin, calm... down..."
he steadied his breathing "sorry..."
benson smiled at him "you look great, kevin. i mean that."
ronaldo walked in, holding a black tuxedo top. "it's true."
behind him, just outside the doorflap, a female german shepherd stood in a brilliant night-blue dress, but she kept out of kevin's vision, staying hidden from everyone.
kevin was handed the tux.
"wear it with pride kevin, it's been worn by every Ghast on their wedding day for the past hundred generations, even i wore it to my wedding.
a tear rolled down kevin's face "i will... thank you dad..."
benson made a concerned noise "is something wrong, kevin?"
he shook his head "i'm just... so... so happy!" he wept "the only thing that'd make this day better would be if...."
ronaldo bowed his head "if your... mother came.... right?"
he nodded sadly "i know... she doesn't approve of me being gay...." he clutched his chest as if he'd been stabbed in the heart... with a machine gun that shoots knives ".... but... i still wish she was... here..."
benson caught movement out of the corner of his green eye, and he descerned the outline of a firan canine woman standing outside.
"there's someone outside."
everyone turned, and saw the woman in question, she looked away awkwardly.
ronaldo stared in surprise "Mona?"
she stepped inside the tent, her arms behind her back, keeping her gaze away from theirs.
"hello Ronaldo..."
kevin gasped "mother? mother is that you?"
she looked up oddly at kevin "hello son..."
benson bowed respectfully
she nodded, and stood straight "young fox, i am Monique Ghast, kevin's mother."
"benson palmer, kevin's best friend. a pleasure to meet you, madam."
they shook paws.
kevin slowly walked over "mother... i didn't think..."
she sighed "that i'd actually show up?"
he nodded sadly
"well... i still do not approve of this choice of yours, son... but as your mother, i cannot miss your wedding day."

ronaldo groaned "mona, i've been over this with you before, it isn't his choice, it's just how he is..."
she smiled wryly "this has yet to be proven to me... but... tell me, who is ringbarer?"
kevin frowned and thought "um... i... i can't remember...."
a loud thump sounded outside, and everyone turned to see a younger german shepherd, about ten years old, wearing a tuxedo, smiling in at them
"that me!"

kevin's face lit up "Norman! Lil' Bro!"
norman ran in and hugged kevin
"i haven't seen you in AGES!"
"i know, i no see you in long time!!"
the two brothers spoke in viradan most in part simply because although kevin had relative mastery of the language, norman was only starting to learn it, and needed practise.
also in part because of the viradan fox in the room.
benson laughed "gonna introduce me?"
kevin smiled at him "this is my kid brother, Norman. norman, this is Benson, my best friend"
benson shook norman's paw "nice to meet you."
"yes." norman said politely "is me Viadan good? i no speak it very well."
benson chuckled "to be honest, it could use some work, but at least i can understand you."
"what 'honest' mean? i no know this word"
"okay... 'honest' is... like being truthful... like 'to tell truth'..."
kevin chuckled, and tapped his brother's shoulder "'honest' is the same as 'fleuretto' ..."
norman nodded "oh! now i know what he mean."
ronaldo tapped kevin's shoulder "okay now, put the top on."
while benson and ronaldo helped kevin with his suit, monique looked down at the two rings she wore.
one was her wedding ring, the other was an heirloom given to the first married child in her family on their wedding day, it had been that way for centuries.
she groaned, she knew it was the right thing to do.
"kevin?"
he turned around
"yes mother?"
she slid the jade ring off, and held it out.
"you know what this is, don't you?"
"y-your jade ring...? b-but..."
she held it out insistantly "take it. its time has come. my mother gave it to me on my wedding day, and hers before that, like that tux is to your father's family, this ring is to mine."
he hesitated, but accepted the ring. "m-mother... i..."
she put a paw up to silence him "it's okay... but your... 'partner' will have to prove himself worthy, got it? i know you understand my meaning, son."
kevin nodded "don't worry, Oriado's a great guy..."

meanwhile, in the other tent.
oriado sat in the chair with his tuxedo on, but his tie was still undone.
"can i really do this?"

"excuse me, is this the ghast-remirii wedding?"
oriado didn't turn around "yes...."
"and you are oriado?"
"yes..."
a black paw landed on his shoulder, and he turned around.
a panther smiled at him "i'm Norido."
"and i care because...?"
the panther pulled down his lower eyelid, revealing a blue triangle tattoo.
oriado gasped
"yes, mr remirii, i'm a biological construct as well. made by the same company, and i'm from the same batch as you are; Delta."
oriado started to cry "does that mean...?"
"yes. it makes us, in a sense, brothers. i am, in fact, #12 Delta, Noridonavischa bregganorto"
oriado stared in surprise "why're you here?"
"you still don't have a best man, do you?"
"no..."
norido smiled
oriado sighed "okay, fine."
"you can feel it, can't you? you know of the connection we share, the one heading back to the labs all those years ago?"
"yeah..."
norido laughed "let me do your tie for you."

a few minutes later, in the pews outside, Aeon, Patrick, verona, lily, Amelia, ian, syrus, carl, collin, and, surprisingly, 999, waited paitiently for the ceremony to begin.
in the other seats sat other members of kevin's family, his mother and father, his cousins, aunts, uncles, and his older sister, who was an elegant female german shepherd, she wore a beautiful amythyst-purple dress.
her bright blue eyes were fixed on her brother up on the altar.
"good for kev. good he found someone" she said in a tone of voice that sounded somewhere between that of a 24 year old, and a 30 year old.
she was, in fact, 29.
the organist began playing, and oriado began walking up the aisle with the panther, gaining confused looks from the others in attendance about his unknown aquaintance.
benson, who stood next to kevin, nudged the german shepherd and whispered "look alive, kevin."
oriado reached the altar, and the 'best men' walked down to the sides.
the priest, who was a mole, began the rite.
"dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."
kevin and oriado were both nervous, it was clear enough to either of them how the other felt.
eventually, the priest got to the 'important part'
"...do you, Kevin Ghast, take Oriado Remirii, to be your lawfully wedded life partner... or 'husband', in sickness and in health, 'till Death do you part?"
kevin almost got tongue tied "i d-do, sorry, i do."
"and do you, Oriado Remirii, take Kevin Ghast as your lawfully wedded life partner... again, or 'husband', in sickness and in health, 'till Death do you part?"
"i do."
"the rings?"
norman ran up with the rings, and handed them to them.
oriado put kevin's on him, and kevin put oriado's on him.
"then by the power vested in me, by the law of Virada, i now pronounce you life partne-- 'husbands' you may kiss."
oriado and kevin embraced and shared a deep, loving kiss, and those in the seats clapped and cheered.
they'd done it.
they were officially married.

from the pews, 999 smiled "good for them."
an idea came to mind, and he began communicating with ian telepathically
(kenziel, you're on the council, aren't you?)
i am, why?
(because, i think removing the law prohibiting intersize marrage should be next on your agenda. i think that mr palmer and ms heartrow would appreciate it)
he saw ian look at the big leopard and small otter so'd carl and syrus... maybe you're right...

kevin and oriado walked down the aisle, and everyone cheered again.

---

later, at the party.
rap music was playing, and upon the table, syrus and collin were engaged in a breakdancing contest, everyone was watching, rooting for either the little white wolf or the little otter.
999 sat in the corner of the room, drinking a clear bubbly liquid from a glass.
his mind was storming.

between zedin, densro, the harbinger, and his old affiliates, his life was crumbling.
if he failed to stop densro, the world would become a dark land of misery.
if he didn't stop harbinger, the world could become a living hell.
and if he didn't end the plans of project legion, the world would be destroyed.
it was beyond him how they could be so jovial at a time like this.
but, then again, the fate of two worlds didn't rest on their shoulders.
unlike his.

benson walked over, staggering with a drunken stupor.
"heeeeey, nine-y, whhy'a ya ovah here? parrtys ovah therre..." he slurred
999 sighed "mr. palmer, you're clearly intoxicated. i'd prefer not to interact with someone who's drunk."
"aahhh, ya jus sayyin thaat! c'mahnnnnn..."
999 looked up and could clearly see the loss of inhibition in the giant fox's green and blue eyes respectively.
"mr. palmer... please..."
"nahhhh! c-c'mahn! join da par-tay!"
"i said no, thank you." he sighed
benson went to grab him, but having noticed, 999 leapt up onto the fox's face
"will you please just leave me alone?"
the fox's drunken eyes noticed the drink 999 held, and he pointed to it with a shaky claw
"whuzzat?"
999 looked down at his glass "just lemonade."
"bah! ya gotta hhave summa the good shtuff!"
"mr. palmer, i'm only seventeen. it's forbidden." 999 tried to remind the fox, but he only waved a paw dismissively.
999 growled quietly "Mister. Palmer. I. Wish. To. Be. Left. Alone."
benson meerly shook his head dazedly
999 snarled a bit "Officer Ghast, could you give me a bit of help here?" he called out
ronaldo walked up, laughing "what's the matter?"
"i wish for mr. palmer to leave me alone, but through his intoxication, he refuses."
ronaldo laughed louder "i bet he just wants you to join the party!"
benson nodded with a dazed expression
"ha ha ha! see? that's all!"
999 growled and leapt back onto the windowsil "please... i just want to have some time to-"
"no no no! you're coming over to the party! do it or i'll write you up!"
999 shot them a vicious glare "for not wanting to socialise?! Rule one: I DO NOT socialise with INTOXICATED individuals! Rule two: i--HEY!"
ronaldo picked him up without asking "come on! this is a party! loosen up!"
999 snarled angrilly, his green eyes turning red.
"LET. ME. GO."
ronaldo scoffed "little brown buzzkill."
"YOU. WILL. REGRET. THIS. DECISION."
ronaldo and benson started heading back over to where everyone else was, ignoring the wolf's protests.
(okay, screw being polite!)
firey embers danced in his eyes and ronaldo's paw caught on fire.
"AAGH! AAGH! FIRE! I'M ON FIRE!"
as he ran over to extinguish the flame, 999 got out of his grip, floating in the air on a blue light platform, gritting his teeth.
"what the hell?!" he growled under his breath "if i don't want to socialise, i wont!"

Aeon walked over to the floating wolf "was that nessisary?"
999 folded his arms angrilly "yes. it was." he huffed.
Aeon raised an eyebrow "they just want you to have some fun. it's a party! we should be celebrating!"
999 descended to the floor, and started walking away.
"there's nothing fun about socialising with drunks. tell oriado and kevin i send my regards, but i'm going now."
a large white paw moved in front of him, he looked up to see oriado looking down at him, concerned.
"i'm... i'm sure they weren't trying to-"
"i'm sorry, but i'm going. if you could please move your paw?"
oriado didn't budge "but, if you just come over there... for even a few minutes-"
"no, mr. Remirii. now please, move. i wish to leave."
oriado crouched "but-"
999 glared at him and he stopped talking.
"i just DON'T feel like SOCIALISING. now will you please move?!"
after oriado still didn't move, 999 pulled out his crown "forget this."
he donned the crown and the winds carried him away.
oriado stood and looked at Aeon in annoyance "what's his problem?!"
the music stopped over at the table, and collin beckoned them over.

"i think I can explain about why 999's so antisocial."
everyone listened as the little white wolf started explaining.
"he's got this condition, see, it makes him inteligent, creative, gives him great reflexes, and he trusts his instinct over anything else, and all his senses are about double strength, but at a cost, it's difficult for him to understand or engage in social activities. and since he REALLY hates alcohol and that kinda thing, he outright refuses to talk to someone who's drunk unless they're a friend." collin explained "and since you acted that way to him, benson and chief ghast, you really offended him. if he doesn't feel social, he'll generally stay as far away from people as he deems nessisary."
the drunk fox hung his head, clearly ashamed.
ronaldo groaned "i guess i could have been a little less insistant..."
kevin looked at the door.
"i'll go get him."

kevin ran outside, tracking the wolf by his scent, and easily discovered him a short distance away, hiding in the branches of an oak tree.
"nine-ninety-nine!"
the nobleman-dressed wolf looked down at him with annoyance "are YOU here to annoy me as well?"
kevin put up his paws defensively "no! ... i just came to tal-"
"i don't WANT to talk."
"look, everyone's sorry!"
999 stood, arms crossed "just go back to your party, you'll enjoy it now that the 'little brown buzzkill' has left!"
999 readied to leap away, but kevin called something that caught his attention.
"WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?!"

999 slumped over.
"in case you've forgotten, if i can't stop project legion, everyone here dies. if i don't stop harbinger, everyone dies, if i can't find densro and stop him, ... you get the idea..."
kevin put out his paws for 999 to land in, but the wolf shook his head "just stop. i know that i'm not your friend, so why do you act like i am? why must you all torture me so?"
kevin smiled warmly "but you are! you are our friend!"
"no... i'm not. i'm just a freaking bio-weapon designed to kill and destroy, and you can't befriend a weapon."
999 leapt away, tears trailing from his eyes.
kevin saw something shining fall down from the branch, and land in his palms.
he looked curiously at it, and found that it was 999's gold crown, but the gemstones were removed, and it was rusted.
there was a little envelope attatched to it.

---

collin read the letter out loud "to all of you, i'm sorry for ruining the party, but i just needed time to myself, and i'm not finding that here.
i've taken all the power stored in my crown, so i'll be able to stay as 'the emperor' for as long as i need to without restriction on energy level.

i just need to sort some things out.
personal things.

you should just go back to partying.
there's a little CD attatched to the back of this message.
play it, it'll help.

-999"

collin found the CD titled 'better than nothing' and put it in the stereo.

while the others danced, kevin and oriado stepped outside into the moonlight.
it was a full moon.
kevin chuckled "how romantic."
oriado hugged him close "yeah, it is, isn't it?"
they looked into eachother's eyes in the lunar luminousity and smiled lovingly to each other.

"can you really celebrate with a war looming?"

they looked at their feet to see a human with long red hair looking up at them.
"i am Caz." he bowed.
kevin looked at oriado suspiciously
the black wolf narrowed his gaze "this is a private party."
'caz' laughed mockingly "oh, i think i'm allowed."
kevin wasn't convinced "why's that?"
"i am an aquaintance of the one you call '999' you see"
suddenly, the man's red hair was yanked back roughly
"ow ow ow..." he protested in pain.
999 stood behind him in his emperor attire, and tugged again on the red hair.
"OWW."
999 sighed, his annoyance showing in his body language as well as his tone "that's not funny Zedin."
the two giants didn't have time to protest to the mention of the diety's name, before a blue haired man who was identical to zedin minus his hair colour, appeared out of nowhere.
"oh stop being boring."
999 glared at the newcomer "not a good time, densro."
densro laughed
"ugh. zedin, please talk your brother into leaving back to your own dimension."
the two dieties walked away, conversing in a series of noises not unlike whale calls.
999 floated up to the giants' eye level, settling onto oriado's open paw.
"Zedin is Positive energy, Densro is negative energy. they're kind of the first beings that existed."
oriado was confused, and raised an eyebrow "they're gods?"
"no no no. we call them dieties, but they're not. it's just easier to call them that. they're closer to aliens than they are to gods, actually."
kevin hummed in thought "why're they here?"
"easy to explain. Densro, the blue haired one, wants to be seen as an almighty ruler, while Zedin, the redhead, is content with the status quo. he doesn't want to use his power on mortals, but densro does. he wants to create a utopia for himself and zedin by destroying our universe, earth and Xlen included."
the german shepherd and wolf became nervous, but a gentle tap on oriado's paw and a sigh got their attention back to 999.

"don't worry. he won't get the chance."
kevin looked at him quizzically
"i love this beautiful planet far too much. there's so much more potential here than on earth... and there's magic in the very air itself, if you know how to find it!"
they looked at him oddly "how do you know?"
999 looked over at the dieties "i can sort of understand what they're saying. not completely, just a bit."
the giants listened eagerly as the little brown wolf summarised "zedin's asking densro to go back to their dimension with him, and densro's disagreeing with him, he's claiming that their home doesn't exist yet, that he hasn't built it yet."
they noticed zedin seemed to be laughing.
"and now they're reminiscing, talking about back when they were a single entity. Dysonix, the harmonius one. half made of pure badness, half of pure goodness. it's because of Dysonix that i can do what i can do. same for every number of the legion."
they looked even more confused.
"this isn't my real body. the real me's lying unconsious in a pod on earth, controlling this body like a wireless remote. a body made with a sample of Dysonix's own blood and super advanced technology that's over a thousand years too advanced for our time. the real me can't do anything unless he's plugged into a jumbled mess of wires and cables. there's really nothing special about me."
they noticed that zedin and densro were smiling at 999
kevin pointed at them, and 999 looked.
zedin laughed "you're not uesless, nine-ninety-nine."
he raised a gloved paw "no, i am. i'm at everyone's beck and call, i obey against my will when the command is given. and it's all because i signed up to a program claiming to be for the 'preservation of humanity' tch. preservation my biosynthetic tail, it's just sacrificial spearshielding for a world that doesn't need it."
densro shook his head, his blue hair swaying "you're not completely wrong. i always admired those like you, you know, you understand your species' faults and accept them, but try your hardest to distance yourself from these facts... it's intriguing."
999 sniffled, a single tear rolling down his cheek "then there's you two; two halves of the same coin, exactly the same, yet also different to each other. two perfect halves of an imperfect being."
zedin frowned "imperfect?"
999 let out a pitiful attempt at laughter "perfection is unnatainable. even for you two."
they looked at each other, then back at 999.
"well zedin, densro, how about we do this later, when i haven't got a potential war with my masters looming over my head. remember, i'm only mortal."
the dieties seemed to laugh, and faded into a ball of white light and a ball of blackness.
the black orb whistled and flew away, and the white orb followed it.

999 cleared his throat, causing the two newlywed giants to turn their heads back to him.
"if it's all the same with you two, i think i can deal with socialising now. may i return to the party?"
oriado smiled "one condition..." he said slyly, and turned back to the doorflap, showing 999 that all their friends had been listening in "you take us with you to earth on the D-day, you're not doing this alone!"
they all smiled at him, and benson cleared his throat "a-annd... youu haf'ta dance wiff uss!"
999 sighed, but unlike usual, there was no trace of negativity in his voice "no choice, is there?"
everybody smiled and replied "nope!" in unison.

999 floated out of oriado's palm and bowed in midair
"i warn you, my dancing is atrocious."

all the wolf could do was move instinctvely to the music, doing as the sound told his body, no real thought on his choreography as he moved to the techno music.
although, he arguably wasn't that bad.
at one point, a slow song came on, and he moved in graceful striking maneuvers, looking as if he was trying to outstyle an unseen adversary.
when a 'dubstep' track played however, he moved to get a drink.

he poured himself some OJ.
Norido sat beside the tiny drink bar, laughing
"you're pretty good. i thought you said you sucked?"
999 thirstilly gulped down the juice
"ahh! i do, i can't dance. i can only move as the music commands me to."
the panther gave him a disbelieving look "that's the definition of dancing, kid."
"i'm not a kid, i'm 17."
"whatever.... we're a lot alike, you know?"
"the only commonality is the artificiallity of our bodies' origins. i'm a human 'piloting' an artificial body on an alien planet, you're a DNA sample mixed with a mess of atoms that were designed to produce a gigantic panther..."
he tutted him "we are also both Bioweapons designed for use by powermad idiots."
999 chuckled as he poured more juice "true enough, i suppose."
norido tapped the little wolf on the back "what is your species called? this 'body' you inhabbit?"
"it's called a Dysonian Surrogate Biotech Interface Warrior Organism; or, in short, a DSBIWO"
he pronounced the acronym 'disbeewoah' "i'm subject #999 of the thousand soldiers of project legion" and then he motioned for the panther to explain his own titles.
"Bio-construct. specifically for me; Bio-construct #12 Delta: Noridonavischa bregganorto, illegal biological creation" the giant informed him. "designed for pan-terrestrial combat."
999 smiled up at him "DSBIWO are designed for interplanetary combat. but our livability depends of form, so most of us are either aerial or terrestrial."
the little wolf looked curious "were the Bio-constructs ever used for their intended purpose?"
the panther shook his head "after the great co-collision, they expected invasions, so they built us."
"but no invaders came..."
norido raised an eyebrow "technically, you're wrong"
"ah, right, Me... point taken."
"and i guess we built our own fighting forces to deal with each other, didn't we?"
"and your weakness is biological. you can still die like any physical creature."
"and yours is that abomonative facility. your bosses cut the cord on the pod and bi bi bibi bibi bibibi biiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! you're dead." he said mockingly, mimicking a heart rate moniter flatlining.
"yes," 999 sipped from his cup "that's true, but then they'd damage the DSBIWO, and they can't afford to lose it."
back on the dance floor, they were being beckoned back as the music changed to Rock.
the wolf chugged the remaining juice and flew back over.
norido just sat and watched.

---

after the party, 999 flew over to kevin and handed him a little box
"consider it a wedding gift. bye."
999 flew away, seemingly in a better mood than usual.
kevin opened the box and saw a tiny little mood ring inside, it was attatched to a pendant and chain engraved "comprehending emotion, the first step to understanding one's own soul"
he smiled.
"crazy wolf."

as 999 moved toward the doorflap, a relatively small, giant's paw grabbed him out of the air abruptly.
although he didn't approve of the rather brutish action, he let it slide once he saw his captor's face
"hi, little wolfy!" came the loud, childish voice of norman, as he looked facinatedly at the previously flying wolf he now grasped in his paws.
"ah-ha, norman, wasn't it? well, hello to you too."
the pup smiled broadly, showing all of his teeth.
"can i ask something, please?"
the pup nodded
"could you please refrain from, that means 'don't' by the way, showing your teeth... it can get a bit nerve-wracking to be in the position you'd normally find a piece of food in"
norman looked sorry, and closed his mouth "sorry, wolfy..."
"i'll allow it just this once, you're still learning, after all." 999 said calmly, smiling.
norman's face lit up yet again "how do you fly? and how come you can understand me?"
999 chuckled, and propped his head up on his arms "the answers are easy; Magic."
the young german shepherd beamed "magic?! yaay!" he laughed as he jumped on the spot.
monique walked over "now, now, norman, don't be rude to the wolf. it's unkind to hold him like that"
norman looked like he might cry, but 999 patted the big paws holding him reassuringly
"it's okay, he's only young. and i assure you, i can get out if i have to. but thankyou for your concern."
"i do not wish for him to grow into an abusive person, this is all"
999 smiled up at the pup "i see, your mother must be raising you well."
norman shook his head "she's mean sometimes..."
999 effortlessly slipped out of norman's grasp, surprising him.
"you might not like it, but sometimes parents have to be mean. how else will you know the difference between right and wrong?" he pointed out.
999 lifted up into the air "it is nice talking with you, but i must be going... but i'd like to talk again some other time, okay?" he spoke kindly, winning a happy nod and wave from the young canine.
he flew out the doorflap

---

999 flew over the treetops, followed by kenziel, who was holding amelia tightly.
he turned, facing them as he lay back against the winds
"so, this is really acceptable with all of you? even if i'm an Alien weapon sent here to kill you all?"
Amelia nodded "we're fine with it, besides, you're essentially a Buki anyway."
"the more i learn about life, the stranger it gets." 999 chuckled, before snapping his fingers and appearing in the grey room.
"i can't believe it, but i actually had fun..."
he heard a far off voice in the back of his mind, and set the DSBIWO to automatic shutdown.
"deactivate D.S.B.I.W.O. number nine hundred and ninety nine, enter standby and recharge mode"

---

number nine hundred and ninety nine opened his human eyes, through his night black visor he could see colonel parks peering in at him
"how goes the mission, soldier?"
a holographic screen on the pod read out his response.
""none of your business.""
colonel parks laughed cruelly "listen you idiot, i dunno where you left the DSBIWO, but we can't find it. guess only you'll be able to recover it."
colonel parks walked away along the metal railing surrounded on all sides by liquid filled pods numbered from one to one thousand, each containing an unconsious human clad in a black one-piece suit and a black visor, there were cords and wires potruding from their arms, legs, and torsos. green lighting poured in from above, giving an eerie glow to the facility.
number nine hundred and ninety nine closed his eyes to sleep.
he hated being kept prisoner, but only he could pilot 999, one of their most essential weapons.
as he slept, number one thousand's voice came to him
hey 999...
(hello 1000)
i'm sorry for last time, it was the command, i couldn't do anything about it.
(i understand. are we all set for our duty?)
yes. we're prepared to die to be free from these damned tanks and this godforsaken place.
(then we will need to rest, 1000)
we will, 999.
999 set off in sleep.

---

the next morning.

scientists worked tirelessly to connect #999 to the server, to send him back to Xlen.
colonel parks stood before his tank "remember, you are OUR weapon, got it?"
number #999 nodded, and he felt the connection activate, and his vision blurred and went white.

he opened his eyes and found himself in the grey room, where densro and zedin were waiting.
"welcome back, wolf."

999 grunted as he stretched. "what is it now?"

"we desire a remerger."

999 froze up "you WHAT?!"
999 thought it was impossible; the two opposites wanted to be one again...
"i don't... understand... why?!" he stared with hugely wide eyes "don't you two hate eachother?!"
their human forms dissolved into vaguely humanoid lights, densro was white and featureless, with luminous sapphire blue eyes, zedin was black and featureless like the night sky without stars, with luminous ruby red eyes.

999 began glaring "WHY?!"
zedin, the black one, seemed to smile with his eyes "you have inspired us."
densro, the white one, nodded "inspired us to neither destroy nor create, but to cause existance"
"it's different to creating." zedin pointed out.
999 grabbed his head "you still want that VOID?!"

the black and white entities shrugged
"we shall see, for dysonix is neither Zedin nor Densro, not creator or destroyer, physical and non-physical, he is neither good nor bad, he is himself and he is nobody. he simply 'is'... " they said in unison.

999 groaned.
"fine, but Dysonix OWES ME BIGTIME for this!"
zedin and densro dissolved into 999's body, making him choke.
999 concentrated, feeling the mass of negative energy that was densro, and the mass of positive energy that was zedin, and began to draw the two energies together inside his core.
he felt his bones creak and his organs tighten as the energy forms became a singularity inside him, he choked on his own breath every time he inhaled, he felt his lungs burn with every breath out, his stomach quaked, and his own spirit trembled as the overwhelming powers of positive and negative raged inside him.
he grabbed his neck instinctively as he choked, and fell onto his back. to anyone who had been there, if there were any, he would have looked like he was choking and having a siezure at the same time.
sparks danced in the corners of his vision, and everything started to fade to black...

(fucking dieties... they never... remember... mortal... limits...)

a torrent surged forth from his mouth, a tidal wave of vermillion and azure energy, and reformed into a vague humanoid shape, still featureless, but half blue, and half red, split down the middle vertically, he had no eyes.
999 gagged and nearly puked "Fuck... Dammit, Dysonix..."
the entity nodded, and lifted 999 up off the ground with an unseen force.
"i appologise. your injury was not anticipated."
999 tried glaring, but only was able to offer a weak, annoyed stare before he lost consiousness.