Johnson's screen showed he flip his hair.
"Easy peasy."
"And, he farmed aura again."
"Wow, Johns...I mean, John, its you!"
Johnson turned to Albur and Mysty.
"Hey Albur, hi Mysty, how you doing?"
Albur approached to Johnson, the 2 met eyes and gave themselves a brother handshake.
"We originally planned to go fetch you." said Albur.
"Well now you don't have to." scoffed Johnson.
Johnson is still that emotionless face.
"Wow, I notice you got your claw back." said Mysty.
Johnson looked at his right arm, and gave a cold smirked.
"Yeah, I also got it a little upgrade."
"Upgrade?"
Johnson snapped his fingers using the robot claw, he instantly vanished. Albur and Mysty was shocked, then, Johnson reappeared next to them.
"I could now enter the digital world using my claw."
"Wow, cool."
Covie and the technician came out from behind the shelves, Covie looked closely at Johnson, and she confirmed it is Johnson.
"Master!"
Johnson turned around, Covie immediately rushed into his hands and hugged him. Johnson held her in his hands and patted her.
"I missed you so much. How you doing?"
"I'm doing fine! Man I missed you so much as well!"
"You've been a good drone didn't you?"
"Of course!"
Johnson chuckled and rubbed Covie's head before letting her go.
Albur took his car from the trembling technician. The crew hopped onto his car.
"Hi sir, wow, you got a couple of new friends with you." said Albur's car system.
"Wow, your car could speak."
"Man, come on, of course my car could speak, it is a CI car."
"Its been a while since I had a ride on a car."
Albur scoffed.
"Now, should we go celebrate to welcome you're back?"
"You choose then, you wanna eat back home or at a restaurant? My treat."
"Huh, looks like someone just got paid."
"I got a bonus from my boss. So, what you wanna have? "
Johnson thought for a while.
"Why not we visit your uncle's noodle house?" asked Johnson.
"Oh, my unc's place?" asked Albur.
"I never had non instant noodles in my life before, I heard your uncle is one of the 10 remaining noodle houses in the world right." said Johnson.
"Sounds like a good idea, I also never had non instant noodles before." said Mysty.
"I'm alright with anywhere, I just want a place to recharge." said Covie.
"Alright then..." Albur turned to his car system.
"Head to the nearest noodle house."
"Heading to, Filix Noodle Cove."
Albur's car levitated and started driving to the noodle house.
After a while, they reached the noodle house. The crew hopped off the car, and entered the restaurant. Albur's uncle immediately noticed him.
"Hey! Albur! Wow, came to have some noodles with your friends."
"Hey unc, yeah, my friend just got out of prison, so we're here to try your cooking."
The customers in the noodle house all noticed the crew is here. They all turned their head around when they heard Albur.
"Look! The Glitch Wipeout Crew is here!"
The customers all cheered, Johnson felt uncomfortable immediately.
"Ok, here we go, here we go!" Groaned Johnson.
Albur and Mysty met eyes, and signaled something.
"Woah woah uh, everyone? Could you not be that loud please, uh, Mr. John here doesn't really like that kind of stuff. I'm sorry, but, yeah, just let him have a quiet dinner. Thank you. " Albur made the crowd chill. The crew found a seat and sat down.
"Appreciate it. " groaned Johnson.
"Well then, what do the heroes want to have for dinner?" Albur's uncle took out a digital tablet and prepared to write down.
"Like usual, tomato noodles...."
"With fried eggs!" Albur's uncle continued the sentence. Albur scoffed, and chuckled.
Mysty flipped through the menu.
"I think I'll have...a vinegar noodle please, extra spicy." Said Mysty.
"Alright....."
"I could just stay alive by recharging but nevermind, I will have a soy sauce noodle. " said Johnson.
"Alright.....anymore?"
"Uh, mister? Is there a recharge station for bots?" asked Covie.
"Oh, we do, right there. 5 cents per percent batter." Albur's uncle pointed at the back of the store which have many electric plugs.
Covie flew towards that place.
"By the way ..... is there apple juice here by any chance?" asked Johnson.
"Oh, we sure do, Albur told me about you like them so I specially added this onto the menu. "
Johnson looked at Albur.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
"Alright, your orders will be on the way!" Albur's uncle rushed back into the kitchen.
"Man, you're uncle is pretty enthusiastic." Said Mysty.
"I know right, he really is."
Johnson wrapped his arms around his body.
"I don't really like that."
"Come on man, you are that introvert?" Asked Albur.
"I mean, that feels a little, way too much no?" said Johnson.
Albur chuckled and patted Johnson's shoulder.
"This guy really need time to re enter society."
"I mean he is still brave enough to talk to us despite he talked through Covie with his employees for years." Said Mysty.
"Speaking through a transmission device is a lot different than talking face to face." Murmured Johnson.
"Yeah, never mind, we do that slowly."
"Speaking of that we should really take actions for his mental disease, he couldn't just feel anger for his entire life."
"Don't you wanna go to the mental hospital for a little help?"
"I can't. "
"Why?"
"Bucko, emotion loss disorder is an uber rare mental disease. Only a few people in the world have gotten this disease. "
Johnson took a sip of water.
"If I go to the hospital and tell them I have that disease, it will blow my cover. Like who the heck would have the same age and same disease as Johnson Hamliton? This will raise their suspect, I don't wanna get in any trouble. "
"Oh, k. "
"I don't really have any way to cure that. True happiness? I couldn't even feel emotion, how the heck am I suppose to find that? The doctor's words are helpless."
Johnson sighed as he took another sip of water.
Albur sighed and stopped asking, Mysty also stayed silent.
After a while, Albur's uncle brought a tray with 3 bowls of noodles, 2 bottles of water and a bottle of apple juice.
"Alright fellas, your food is here, enjoy! " Albur's uncle placed the bowls and bottles on their table.
Albur pressed his watch and switched to the payment app.
"How much?"
"Oh, that would be 22 dollars."
"What? I thought it was 45?"
"A 50% discount, for the Glitch Wipeout Crew. "
"Nah, its alright, I can pay it."
"Its alright, just pay 22."
"No, really, its alright, I can."
"Ahem."
Johnson cleared his throat, Albur and his uncle froze.
"If you two keep arguing then I will be the one who will pay."
Albur looked at his uncle, he put a 45 dollar in his hands. His uncle sighed and laughed as he walked away.
"Anyway try out these, they will be way tastier than the instant ones."
Mysty and Johnson tasted the noodles they ordered,
"Wow, its surprisingly good." exclaimed Mysty.
"True, its pretty delicious." murmured Johnson.
"Good right?" asked Albur.
"Not bad for a restaurant that is one of the 10 remaining noodle house." said Johnson.
"Yeah." said Mysty.
"They still exist for a reason, if it isn't delicious, people would just eat instant noodle instead."
"Make sense."
The crew enjoyed their food while chatting with each other, spending the whole evening at the restaurant.
After a while, they finished their food. Johnson fetched Covie from the recharge place before they exited the store and hopped back onto Albur's car.
"Nowhere you wanna go right?"
"Nah, I just wanna go back home."
"Alright, car, you hear him."
"Heading to, Butterfly Road 6 no 56. " the car levitated and started driving.
The car stopped in front of Albur and Mysty's house. The crew hopped off the car and walked into the house. Their house remained the same like before the infection, but what's different is that in the front yard there is a hut, or to be exact, the moon hut.
"By the way thanks for letting me put my moon hut here. I hope it doesn't consume too many space of your house." said Johnson.
"Nah it's alright, its just a tiny little hut." said Albur.
"Yeah, it is big in the inside, not outside." said Mysty.
"There's a four-dimensional space inside it, it also won't make too much trouble for you, since it blocks sound, doesn't be tracked by trackers, but you gotta be careful where you walk since it is invisible." explained Johnson.
"I wanna stay in the hut today, I ran out of lubricating oil." groaned Covie.
"What? Why? What does no lubricating oil have to do with staying in the hut or the house?" asked Johnson.
"Oh, that one, haha, Johnson you might need to consider helping." Albur chuckled.
"O....K? By the way refer me as John while we're outside ok? I don't want my cover blown."
"Of course."
Albur unlocked the door of the house, Mysty entered it.
"Wanna come in? And also help with 'that stuff'?" asked Albur.
"Oh...sure, why not?"
Johnson entered the house. Albur put down his stuff at his desk.
"So, what situation is Covie talking about?" asked Johnson.
"Let Covie show you." said Mysty.
Johnson looked at Covie, Covie just lied on the sofa, with a disturbed face.
"Oh hey, another R.E.C.O.V.E.R. system, came to argue once again?" a computer voice is heard in the house. Covie groaned and floated up.
"How many times I had to tell you? My name, is COVIE!" Covie yelled at the wall.
"Heh, pathetic, I am better than you, you are just a small little drone."
"Shut up! I am a R.E.C.O.V.E.R. as well!"
Johnson looked at the wall in confusion.
"Who is Covie talking to?" asked Johnson.
"My R.E.C.O.V.E.R. system, they had been arguing for months." said Albur.
"Oh, wait a second."
Johnson pressed a button on his robot claw, it showed a screen that have many words on it. He swiped on the screen and pressed a button written 'RNP badge'. The claw glowed, a golden medal slowly materialized from the core of the claw. Johnson adjusted his bowtie and cleared his throat.
"Regenerate Engine for Complete Organic healing Virtually Eventhough beyond Repair, scanning mode."
The computer voice heard Johnson's voice, then, a green and grey, squared device appeared on the wall, it emitted a blue wave that scanned Johnson. Johnson showed the device the badge, the scanning wave had contact with it, and it turned into green color.
"CEO of RNP detected, welcome, Mr. John."
"Now what is going on with you with the drone?"
"Nothing personal. Its just the individual is keep saying she is better than me, which I don't approve."
"Well you know, she is like you, but is portable, able to move, have hands, can comfort people, you just have to admit. She is better than you."
The R.E.C.O.V.E.R. device stopped for a while.
"Definitely." the device separated into more parts and scattered in the house.
"Problem solved." Johnson looked at Covie.
Covie stared at Johnson, and slowly clapped her hands, Johnson smirked.
"Ok...that worked like a charm." said Mysty.
"So that is the power of the creator." murmured Albur.
"My products have built in recognizing software that could detect administrative members." explained Johnson.
"Why would you need that though?" asked Mysty.
"Uh, actually I don't know as well. For fun I guess."
Albur chuckled. But then, Johnson heard robotic voices and noticed something is near his feet. He looked down, and found that it is a L.E.W.I.S. bot. It is Albur's Lewis bot.
"Hey, you got L.E.W.I.S. bots with you as well?" asked Johnson.
"What? During the infection I told you I had one, duh." said Albur.
"Oh, that is....one of the test products RNP gave me for free." said Mysty
"I see." said Johnson.
Lewis looked at Johnson from head to toe.
"Is this me but XXL?" it asked.
"Huh, I forgot to put in emotion energy in R.E.C.O.V.E.R. bots?"
"I don't see the R.E.C.O.V.E.R. blue prints have them." murmured Covie.
"Oh, k." Johnson stared at the Lewis bot.
"Is he working quite well?" asked Johnson.
"Pretty well, just uh, he can't take on the raiding glitches." said Albur.
"I see. I think I told the managers to recall all Lewis bots for GK upgrade."
"What, you did?"
"Never mind, Logical Electronic Warden for Information and Security, customize mode."
Lewis stood straight. Its head opened, revealing a blue orb that extended into numerous buttons, revealing a lot of settings.
"Let me upgrade this little fella."
"Well then, I think we could call it a day. I still a little stuff to do..."
Albur yawned and stretched his limbs.
"I thought you don't work over time now?" asked Mysty.
"Not over time, just some little work, half an hour will be enough."
"Alright then, we don't bother you." said Johnson.
Albur yawned and walked upstairs. Mysty sat at her desk in the living room and started working on editing her video. Johnson sat on the floor and started upgrading the L.E.W.I.S. bot. Albur got to his room and started working on the final little works at hand.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After a while, Albur shut his computer, he sighed and took a sip of water.
Then, a knock on Albur's room door can be heard, Albur pressed a remote that opened the door. Lewis was outside the door, he slowly rolled into the room.
"Finished your upgrade?"
"Yeah, I feel more powerful now, I might be able to take on a dozen of glitches or 2."
"Heh, you probably could."
Albur looked outside of the door, he then turned to Lewis again.
"Where is the XXL version of you?"
"He is....at the front yard."
Albur thought for something, he walked out of the room. Keyboard tapping voice can be heard from Mysty's room. Albur walked downstairs, he went over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle. He then went outside, just like what Lewis said, Johnson is sitting in the front yard, he is scrolling on a tablet, with a round device inserted on his screen.
Albur poked him once, but he didn't feel it, he then poked him again, and again.
"Hey, Johnson." Albur knocked his head lightly. Johnson jumped off his seat, to find Albur standing behind him. He pluck out the device and put it on the chair he is sitting on.
"Albur? What's wrong? Did I wake you? "
"No you didn't, I'm just here to ..."
Albur handed the bottle to Johnson. Johnson stared at the bottle.
"Uh....."
"Don't worry, it's a bottle of apple juice. "
Johnson took the bottle.
" T-t-thanks....."
Albur smiled. He then looked at the tablet Johnson is holding.
"What's this?"
"Oh uh, the company's business graph."
Johnson showed Albur the graph. The arrow of the graph is downwards and dropping slowly.
"RNP ain't doing good lately. When I return to the office there must be bunch of stuff that I need to do. I really had to practice with Covie so I don't stammer when I talk. "
Albur patted Johnson's shoulder.
"Remember, you have me, and Mysty. We are the Glitch Wipeout Crew. If you need help, just reach out to us, you are no longer alone."
Johnson smirked, and nodded his head.
He then sat back on the chair, he inserted the device back onto his screen.
"What is this little thing?"
"This is.....a little thing my sis gave me."
Johnson pluck it out again, Albur took a closer look, he remembered seeing this device, which is the same device that Johnson used to display the hologram of his elder sister and him.
"You are displaying that hologram in your head?"
"What, no, I am...listening to the music in it."
Albur raised an eyebrow, Johnson pluck the device out again. He then pressed a button on it, the device's hatch then opened, 2 devices floated out of it. Johnson took those 2 devices and stuffed them into Albur's ears.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Keep the memory alive
No matter if it's good or bad
Good ones give you direction
While bad ones help you avoid traps
Keep the memory alive
Although I won't be by your side
I'll always be in your heart
When you
Rise
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The device is apparently a pair of earphones, a soft, guitar melody is played, followed by a singing of a woman.
"This is....."
Johnson sighed, he took out another chair and signaled Albur to sit down.
"This song, is a song my sis wrote, specially for me."
Albur took off the earphones and put it back into the device.
"A song she wrote?"
"Yeah."
Johnson sighed and took a sip of the apple juice.
"She wrote that song specially for me, to remind me that I was never alone. Her guidance, lessons, trainings, all made me today. This device is the only thing she left for me, before she...."
Johnson sighed even heavier. Albur patted his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry about that."
"But uh, I can't stay in the memory and don't move right. I shouldn't keep remembering that, I should move on already."
"Those are very very precious memories, but yeah, moving on is indeed a better choice. Just that you don't forget her trainings and guidance."
"I know that of course."
Albur chuckled. He looked at the sky.
"I'm sure your sis is doing good in heaven, and she will be very proud of who you are now."
Johnson stared at Albur, and smirked.