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"One last mission." The voice broken and laced with static between heavy steps, the drawl of its former owner long gone.
The remnants of a cyborg walked deeper into a cave, tracking a familiar signal turned to distress. The fail-safes had been activated, even though the former Galaxy Ranger was no longer in service. The organics were long gone, Neura-chip faulty and prone to shorts after so many wipes and rewrites. It was little more than a hollow shell shuffling into this isolated cave, cables sparking and shredded metal grinding against each other with every step. Still- "one last mission."
Another step, a spark barely lighting the cave, illuminating the wall gouged with deep scratches from monstrous claws. Another step, joints creaking from rusting metal, loud and echoing over the low mournful humming bubbling up from deeper in the cave. "One last mission," as wet fur and dry skin dragged across stone in the dark.
Eventually the former cyborg stopped, deep in the heart of an isolated, far off cave on a desolate rock. The beacon calling him here was close. There was nothing left of Boothill the Galaxy Ranger, nothing but a promise he'd been hardwired to keep. Soon-
The dark swirled around the shell, quiet and damp as he waited and scanned. Eventually a pale hand, knobbed and tipped with red, curving claws reached out for him. It cupped his cheek, the decaying mask of the cyborg's face crumbling under the strokes of a gentle thumb. Another hand emerged to card through dirty white and black hair, another popping out to take a limp hand, threading its fingers between the few metal ones left. Another set of hands grasped the cyborg's hips and tugged itself closer, more hands reaching and searching. Red scales and fur brushed the cold shell of what was Boothill, wrapping around it and holding it close.
"Scan c- complete. Identified: Argenti, Knight of Beauty. Initiating self-destruct in five-"
The beast cooed and chirped, practically crushing the metal shell against itself, smothering it in blood-red flowing hair and dense fur, claws carving through metal plating.
"Four," as the beast extolled his virtues, voice reduced to snarls and howls.
"Three," as what was once Argenti, Honorclad, Knight of Beauty, ripped the plating from over his clogged pump.
"Two," as it kissed his cheeks with curled lips and sharp teeth.
"Sleep well, sweetheart," the automated voice replayed. "I'll see you soon."
Fire, then black, and in the distance, white once again.