The forsaken (Rainimator book4)

birthday message

POV Meeps 

Another day, still here in this other universe, with Crystal still out there. hanging like a failure. then a heard it, a beeping, beep moment break beep, a constant beeping. I looked about until I realised that the beeping was coming from my sword.

I examed it and found something hidden in the handle. a small black rectangle, with a diamond-like crystal on the end and blue blinking light, I looked at it in my hands for a moment when it clicked.

from the crystal at the end light showed through, and it form into a hologram and I froze when I saw what it was a hologram of.

an image of Charlie appeared dressed in the clothes he was in the day we took Frostbourne, I froze so many emotions going through my head. "Ahh we're recording, good," Charlie said. he smiled and tapped the umbrella he was holding on the ground. "So if you're watching this then that means something happened to me or...or I forgot to remove this from your sword what's completely possible," he laughed. 

'when did he record these? Why did he record these?' I thought. the image flickered slightly and Charlie chucked his sonic into the air, disappearing from the hologram as it left his hands. 

"So I'm sure you want to know why I record this message? well, it's...it's something I do a lot actually, remember are chats? of you do, I told you about the message I left Morgan and William, well I like to be ready, so I record a handful of you, Ember, Rain, Stella, Razer, oh Azura and Patrick got one together that's even got a message for Charlene attached to it, one for Shizuku, and one for Lyria, and of course for Crystal" he explained. he looked away for a moment. caught in thought. I felt guilt at him mentioning Crystal 

"I feel as if I let Shizuku down, she seemed so excited when I first explained to her, but I'm sure I've let her down, I...I think she deserves to learn from someone better than me, Ember probably makes a better teacher than me," Charlie shook his head. 

I wanted to tell him that that's not true, but this is still just a recording. "anyway I'm not here for that, Like I said I recorded this in case I wasn't here, in case something happen to me, seeing how close we to a certain day, I had a catch with your brother by the way, just so you know he's awesome, given enough time I could see me and him being good friends, so we were talking and the conversation got onto the subject of you, I just asked for some of the background details," he stared off again. 

there was knocking at a door, not the door to the room I was in, but something from the hologram, "Charlie? are you alright?" it was Crystal's voice. 

"yeah, Crystal just working on something I'll be out in a few minutes," Charlie called back. he turned back to whatever was recording this message. "so yes, unlike the other messages. yours was set to go off on a certain date," Charlie's hand dived into his pocket and pulled out a party whistle, and used it. "Happy birthday!" he said. 

was that today? was it really my birthday? "17 now, right? I remember my 17th birthday, we want to laser tag," he clapped his hands together. so many emotions so quickly. I didn't know what to think. 

"Sorry I'm not there in person for this, but I just had to record this in case, I couldn't let your birthday go by without something from me," Charlie put his hands in his pockets, and he suddenly looked sad. "I'm sorry, so, so sorry, for the way I treated you Meeps back when we first met, I was undoubtedly an asshole, and I'm not a good person, Lord knows I try," 

he put back on his fake smile. "Anyway, how does it feel to be 17? as good have as everyone says? I don't really remember, that feels like a lifetime ago, so...." his smile grow. "First thing I always wanted on my birthday? presents! so you know this bracelet I've got," he pulled up the sleeve of his coat and tapped the bracelet. "I was working on one just before Frostbourne fell, it was about the same level of complexity as the one Rain has, it's in the lab, now pause this recording and go and get it," Charlie said. 

I look at the projector and pressed the blue light, the hologram paused then faded, I quickly left the room and made my way down to Charlie and Azura's Lab, the room was silent, Azura was likely off with Charlene, she hadn't left that baby's side since getting her back. I didn't blame her, but in all that was a bit of hope, Crystal had given her the option to leave with Charlene.

I went up to Charlie's workbench, it was a mess, his paperwork spread across the table, tools and metal mixed with circuit boards. I moved the paper and found the bracelet, it was slime with a few red buttons, and the power bar read full. 

I placed it around my arm, and it was the perfect fit. "was this always meant for me?" I asked.

"Yes," I turned to find Azura in the doorway looking tiered holding Charlene. "Charlie was making a handful of them, to protect the people he cared about, he started with you're before he'd even finished Rains, I helped with some of it, mostly wiring, he finished it the day we were attacked," Azura explained walking over to her workbench. "I assume you found a message from him right?" 

I nodded. "It was a bit of a shock," I answered. 

Azura smiled. "Congrats Meeps, Charlie cares for you, he only leaves those messages for people he cares for," Azura explained. "Can you hold Charlene for a moment," Azura did actually let me answer before handing Chalene to me and she dropped to the floor under her workbench. "Ahha I was right," she pulled out part of her wingsuit. 

"Right here! He hide mine in a part of my wingsuit, the part he also seems to help me fix," She said pulling out a similar rectangle. She took back Charlene. "Thank you Meeps," she walked to the door. "Oh and happy birthday Meeps, Charlie mumbles in his work, you wouldn't believe the random stuff I've learned," she smiled as walked out.

I returned to the room and pressed play. "Okay now you have, it's a solar-powered but holds battery up to 1 year, built-in tracker in case it goes missing, of course, it also does the whole shield thing, I've also learned from my own problems, this one should be able to take a blast that would otherwise break through the last few models including lightning," I froze as he said that. 

"Things like directed energy bolts weren't breakthrough, now I know it might not be much, But I hope you're happy with it," Charlie explained. "and thank you Meeps for everything, for helping me, even when I didn't want," 

Charlie snickered. "You are possibly the most human person I have ever met, You care deeply for people, and that's great Meeps, I don't know how you see this friendship, but to me, you are one of the best friends I could have ever asked for," Charlie smiled. "I don't like goodbyes, so how about, see you later Meeps, and happy birthday," The image flicked and faded. I just stood there not knowing what to say or do next.

POV 3rd person

Zen activated the three lights on the display in the reality station. "information: something is attempting to breach my security systems. lunching counter strike," the lights moved positions on the screen. "first level of defences disabled activating level two...level defences bypassed. external defence bypassed," 

the door to th reality station slid open, and the Arcane Knight walked through the doors into the control room of the reality station. "Really Zen? did you think those defences were going to work on me? there didn't the last time, oh wait I erased that from memory, that's all you A.Is are, lines of code, my amour is beyond any technology you have, or that Meeps, it can easily override anything you do," the Arcane knight walked to the controls.

"I need that relic, the one Naeus used, it's key to what comes next," 

(A/N, Happy birthday Moonlark I hope you enjoyed the chapter)