Static, a jolt of a familiar buzzing behind the eyes stirring his systems awake.

  Zusting’s vision split in fragments, voices distorted but recognizable.

  Enixi’s voice, filled with concern, echoed from across the room, “He isn’t supposed to have 100% Ash. That’s a manic surge waiting to happen, and it’s simmering beneath the shell of your circuit!”

  A pulse of shock beamed through Zusting's body, his own voice cutting through the static, “Fuck, my head," he groaned, holding his head in his hands, "It's like I'm being shocked like a dog." His vision trailed over towards the two Ex-panes, engaged in a conversation.

  “ That’s…S grade Remnant in my circuit.” Asherest mumbled, holding a hand over his mouth, shaking, “I-I made that.” his head snapped up to Zusting, brushing the code sparks off his clothes and neutralizing his expression.

  “We didn’t have the correct conditions for a core of your caliber, so you blew it.” Velez slid in as the lab door opened, data chip in hand, “I’m surprised, but I can do better,” she chuckled, throwing the chip over to Asherest. “Got your blueprints. Not even an Ex-panel saw me.” She skipped over to Enixi's side, analyzing the eletric circuit's in the walls.

  Enixi sighed with relief, “Great,” she turned to Zusting, “Listen, Zusting. You're made with S-grade remnants that haven't been processed.” She scratched the side of her neck, hair draping itself across her arm, "Asherest, show him the file," she pointed to her data socket.

  Asherest opened a hologram, detailing the blueprints of Zusting and his core, plugging in the data chip on the socket beneath his ear, “There it is,” Asherest enlarged the hologram, "Your whole system."

  The hologram flashed to life, an outline of Zusting’s system.

  [

  SYNCING LEVEL - 0%...

  CORE - INSTALLED…100%

  TYPE - POISONOUS

  GRADE - S-GRADE MATERIAL

  CASE - ...

  COPING CODE - ... ]

  “You shouldn’t even be fully conscious right now.” Enixi rubbed her eyes, stepping back. “Let me break it down,” she gestured to the percentage beside Zusting’s core. “A core is what regulates your Code Destructive Disease, more widely known as CDD."

  "CDD is a highly infectious disease that is spread through code exposure." Enixi swung her arms out wide, "Our job as bonds is to exterminate these infected individuals, Chromanics!" She grinned, pulling Velez over to her side, "Your core is actually made up of remnant, the stuff that's left over after we flatline them." She popped open a plate on the side of Velez's stomach, circuitry all leading up to the glowing block in her stomach, "We essentially cleanse these remnants to a safer percentage for the grade level. Since Velez is a B-grade Circuit, her percentage is about 76."

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Enixi turned to Zusting, her expression hardening, “But, you Zusting, are at 100%, completely non-processed. You should essentially be a Chromanic, already mutating and deteriorating mentally…” Enixi trailed off, "CDD eats away at your code till you're nothing but a mindless beast latching onto whatever your mutation muse is. There are only very few recorded conscious Chromanics in Kurosaska's history."

  Zusting jumped in, “But I’m still me?” he turned to Asherest, eyes squinted. Asherest nodded, “Correct, you’re still you, Zusting.” Zusting’s face lit up, turning back to Enixi, “Nova!” he shouted, “I’m like special then, no?” he jabbed at Asherest, "Who was just calling me a lump of chrome a few minutes ago, huh?"

  Velez sauntered forward, leaning down in Zusting's face, “Hey, what grade is he?” She turned to the hologram to check, “S-grade, eh? This little runt?” She pinched Zusting’s cheek. “Quit pinching me!” Zusting quickly swatted her hand away. He stood up, facing Velez head-on, "This means I'm stronger than you, idiot."

  Velez immediately flared up, steam coming out of the corners of her mouth, “Oh, so you’re getting a whole lot bolder!” Zusting took an offensive stance, lowering his body to the ground, allowing his body to arch and curl like a scorpion. Velez’s face plates opened, revealing the explosion exports beneath the right side of her face, alarming pink sparks illuminating the entire lab room, "Ooo, is that your akin instincts? Are you gonna sting me or something?" Velez taunted, "You're not even an offensive circuit!" She raised her fists, ready to explode.

  Zusting's tail arched along with his body, like all his bone structure was clicking into alignment in this pose, "Call it whatever you like!" he shouted, shocks pulsing through his entire body and into his stinger, causing him to shudder, "If it's an instinct, that must mean it's natural!"

  The two moved to lunge, but before the two could claw at each other, the familiar chain and collar appeared around Zusting’s neck, dragging him up to his feet and at Asherest's side. Enixi grabbed Velez, putting her sword through Velez's arms to restrain her, “Are you stupid? He’d blast you to bits!” Enixi scolded, dragging Velez away from Zusting.

  "Ok, ok, I get it!" Velez stood still, retracting her face plate back into place and rolling her eyes.

  “Zusting, take a little nap.” Asherest quickly input a command on his hologram, filling in the coping code on Zusting’s file.

  [ Coping code: Sleep - 40 hours required in a week's passing. ]

  “Get this off of me–” Zusting struggled with the chain till he froze, the chilling sensation of gears turning in his head making him go rigid. "What is this..." A cold clamp tightened on his joints, like the command had taken root in his very soul. The moment Zusting's eyes dimmed, he fell limp in Asherest's arms.

  Asherest groaned, rubbing his temples, “This little–” Asherest paused, looking at the red glow coming from the Hologram, watching the words fly across the panel.

  [ SYSTEM UPDATE — CLEARANCE OVERRIDE.]

  SUBJECT: ZUSTING — 804

  STATUS: Registered

  GRADE: C

  CORE: CLASSIFIED

  COPING CODE: Approved

  CASE FILE: CLASSIFIED

  CIRCUIT: Adopted

  [ AUTHORITY OVERRIDE LEVEL: UNKNOWN]

  [ LOCAL ACCESS: DENIED ]

  “What?” Asherest tapped at the panel, attempting to rewrite it, only to be met with Error codes he wasn't given access to.

  “Higher-ups.” Enixi let go of Velez, stepping up to the Hologram, “Gotta be.” The two Ex-Panes looked down at their respective circuits, then at each other.

  “We're so flatlined.” The two say in unison.