The forsaken (Rainimator book4)

bodybuilders

POV Charlie

the others were looking at my plans for Zen's body, I was standing over the laptop what they call home currently. "Zen, how are you feeling?" I asked. 

the screen flashed in the squares. "I am intrigued by the idea of having a body, this Unit interaction with the Meeps unit has informed me of what to expect," Zen said. 

I rubbed my hands together. "Good, while we build this body I need a favour from you, I need the data on this to be scanned and recovered, can you do that?"

"Confirmed," The old A.I said. 

"Charlie?" Nina said getting my attention. "Why do you have underlined on this stun gun?" 

"Well I thought Zen could do with a defence weapon," I said. 

Azura looked up. "What about this?" Azura asked. 

"A mobile transmitter, that way they can access computers like the reality station from anyway," I answered

"What about......" I interrupted Andrew

"Look, if I put it on the plan, it was for a reason, now do we want to start or......" I looked blankly around the room and noticed one person missing, I shouldn't have expected her to be here not after last we spoke but her absences still hurt. 

"Charlie?" Shizuku asked pulling me back to the current room and most of the people looking at me, making me feel very awkward. "are you okay?" she asked staring up at me. 

"I errr, I'm fine it's nothing, I'm gonna start to build the holo skin," I said. 

"Holo skin?" Nina asked 

"Yes, that way Zen can pick the body they want, instead of what we chose for them," I explained, sitting at my table. "The rest of you can start at whatever you see fit," 

"Charlie, one more question? where did you get all this netherite to build the body?" Azura asked.

I tapped my noise. "Now that would be telling," I smiled 

POV 3rd person

"Azura?" Shizuku asked as the scholar added to the frame of the body. "what's wrong with Charlie?" 

Azura put down the part and looked at the young and noticed she was staring at Charlie working on the holo skin. "Lyria," Azura said. "before any of you ended up here, Charlie and Lyria had a bond, they were close, a bit like you two, don't take this wrong, Charlie and you, it's something unique, but Lyria was important to him, and she got angry with him, snapped at him. I know that one hit him very hard," Azura answered. 

"Oh," Shizuku said. "Do you think he'll be fine?" 

"Charlie's never fine, not in the end, I think it's down to his decision to close the earth portal when it all truly started, but it's hard to tell," Azura explained. 

"Can someone bring me my sonic?" Charlie called. 

Shizuku grabbed it from the table and bring it other to Charlie. "Thank you Shizuku, don't know what I'll do without you, here have a look at this," Charlie said. "Do you know what this is?" 

"No," Shizuku said. 

Charlie smiled. "a self-powering, power pack, tiny, but can and will power zen until the sun goes out, I designed it myself," Charlie explained. shortly after he finished Shizuku went back over to Azura

"In the time since I know Charlie so much has happened, to him to me, to me, I'm a mother to a beautiful child, but Charlie in the year that's passed, I've watched a bright young man, filled with great ideas and promise....but I've watched him slip away,  slowly into darkness, watching him break," Azura moved her hand onto her chest. "I...I'm slowly losing my....friend and I....don't know how to help," She said tears in her eyes. "I know if nothing happens, if....if he doesn't get help then I'll lose....lose one of my best friends," she said.