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The sound of chitter chatter and pitter patter came around the room, every researcher in there discussing the room and their plans for the weekend.
The smell of old coffee and ink flooded the room, researchers rambling quickly and pinpointing the project.
Enigma starred down at his papers, shifting them unconditionally, he'd then hear a familiar voice behind him.
"Adler."
It was Ulrich, the last person he wanted to possibly talk to.
He'd sigh begrudgingly, "What do you want, Ulrich." He'd say, crossing his arms in a huff.
"Your papers are managed wrong. It's supposed to go day then time, not time then day! How could you be so careless about it?"
"You know, you don't have to tell me what is right nor wrong, Ulrich."
"Oh please! It's nessecary as your copartner, I must say! Per Madam Lucy's orders, it is my duty TO tell you what is right and wrong!"
Enigma yelled a bit at the top of his lungs, "Ulrich! You're being really bossy, you know. Lucy, nor your other coworkers would-"
"Fiirst of all! I CAN tell you what to do! Second of all, it's obscene to ignore me, you know. Third of all..."
Enigma looked over, still listening to the Awakend's ramblings, he'd see a big, nearby machine, clearly puffing out smoke and some sparks, his eyes widened as he saw some researchers backing up and even running away from it.
"Ulrich. We have to go, NOW." Enigma urged him, squeezing his wrist.
"And- OW! HEY!- What was that for?!" Ulrich said, pulling back his arm angrily against the larger man.
"It's not safe, listen to me." He'd say, eyeing him down.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT SAFE?! How are you going to proove that, Adler?" Some researchers stopped and stared at both Enigma and Ulrich, whispering between each other.
"Please just-" The machine became louder, like it was going to pop, he immediately looked over, with Ulrich following his motion.
And, almost in a split second, everything became bright and loud in a moment, fire engulfing the room as a giant shockwave pushed everything back, shattering the glass, and causing multiple, ear shattering screams in the room.
Everyone near the force of the explosion was pushed back, along with the chemicals from the beakers in the room especially, spraying everywhere.
Enigma desperately cried out for Ulrich among the explosion, it was too bright and you could barely see anything as everything was burning and crashing down, with Ulrich screaming his name back, before unexpectedly going silent.
The large overgrown groups of fire quickly engulfed the room, mixed with the chemcial drops, it was an immediate hazard.
Enigma got up immediately, heavy burn scars on his body and runned out of the room, signaling for help down below from the 6th floor.
"THE OBSERVATION ROOM HAS EXPLODED!" He'd scream, echoing through the building.
God, they had to be here, and quick.. no... he couldn't let anyone die there, not now.
Enigma collapsed onto the floor of the hallway, next to the ledge, finally embracing his sleep.
Maybe a nap would calm him out, yes... maybe...
Ulrich's sensors ringed and burned, his head shivered wildly as he was trying to observe his surroundings right now.
Everything was crackling everywhere, the screams and commotion going on, however, Ulrich had a problem affected by the mix of the chemicals and force.
His body wouldn't move.
Panic filled him, he had to call an alarm, and fast. He tried to move around, but his body was curled up and barely budged from the immobilization, screaming both mentally and physically in a desperate attempt to get the attention over to the room.
Now, of course, Laplace would have these alarms if anything went wrong, but his head was a bit too disoriented from the shock of the situation.
He didn't know where Enigma was, he needed him, he had to see him..
He'd cry out Enigma's name: "ADLER! ADLER HOFMANN!" His voicebox was hoarse from the damage, everyone could hear his desperate pleas, but they know they couldn't stop and help him, it was a dangerous situation.
"FUCK- ADLER!!" He'd scream more, overlapping with all of the commotion and screaming, his body moving around weakly, his body felt numb, his arms felt numb, his legs felt numb..
He'd then see multiple other personnel from the door enter the room, noticing their efforts to put out the fire and tend to the injured and panicked researchers.
A medical officer rushed on over towards to Ulrich, his body paused and crying, without the officer replying, they'd pick up Ulrich and mostly move him towards a safe space, kneeling on a wall for support.
Was Enigma ok?.. He had to know, he just.. had... to..... no... it was nessecary... he...
Ulrich passes out from the burning in his body, collapsing near the wall and shutting down. He could've listened to him.. no...
Enigma woke up in a familiar white room, the lights illuminating harshly.
He was in the infirmary, his head was hazy and it burned, he had to ground himself with his surroundings because it all felt heavy.
He'd unblur his vision, positioning him up on the bed, and realized where he was.
A hospital room.
No... he needed to see Ulrich.. he had to see if he was ok... nonononononono-
Enigma immediately fell down off the bed in a hurry, IV halfly ripping out in his hand as his legs buckled under him stubbornly, trying to get up in a sweating panic.
He'd move on over to the door sluggishly, getting up in a nauseating motion and walking through a bit in the hallway, before collapsing on the floor as bones cracked under him with a whine.
The nurses and infirmary guards rushed on over to him, needing to bring him back to the room before more damage could be done.
"N.. no... I need to SEE HIM! PLEASE! LET ME- GO!!" He'd yell and cry, his voice hoarse and sobbing, protesting under the influence of the force.
"I NEED TO GODDAMN SEE ULRICH! I NEED TO KNOW IF HE'S OK! I DON'T WANT HIM TO BE DEAD!"
"Mr. Adler.. please calm down-"
"WHAT IF HE'S DEAD?! THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION WAITING TO HAPPEN!" Enigma protested, he was crying now, his tears flooding down his face.
He was then put back on the bed forcefully, and the nurses reinserted the IV into him much to his protest.
One of the nurses reassured him that everything was going to be ok, some people couldn't grasp with it, especially Enigma.
Enigma quietly sobbed, letting his muscles go and untensing them.
It was his fault Ulrich could've been dead.. it hurt... both physically and mentally.
Ulrich starred down at his legs from the inspection table, trying to kick them, but they wouldn't budge, like his wires got superglued on each of them.
X hummed, looking through Ulrich's log papers, a worried sigh coming out from his mouth.
He'd place down the papers and look over at Ulrich, hands clasping together.
"So, I see-"
"I'm not interested in any of your inane conversations, X, so get to the point already." He'd say, voicebox crackling.
Silence enveloped the room.
...
"Alright. Because of the force of the explosion that the machine caused, I will have to examine your body a bit, Ulrich." He'd reply, motioning down to the table.
"Please, lay down for me." X said, getting over to his supply kit and getting out an ultra mirror and a gracey curette, and starting to move over to him.
Ulrich hesitantly laid down, body stiff and shivering from the still known effects.
X went ahead and took off Ulrich's shoulder-to-body pad, and then his shirt, making sure to not be too fast with it.
What he saw was pretty nasty.
An extremely blasted force impact was on the side of his see through body, and wires were sparking and torn out. Not to mention his beaten lower chest, open and bruised from the injures, and his upper arms taken out with chunks of metal and old oil.
"Oof... now that's shabby." He'd say, inspecting his wounds from the incident. He'd sigh worryingly, going over quickly to get a reflex hammer and a flashlight.
He'd walk back on over down to Ulrich's legs and told him specific instructions.
"Alright. I will need to see your reflexes, so please try and apply force to your leg if you can."
Ulrich groaned, agreeing with what X had to say.
X then kicked the hammer on his leg with force, however, the leg wouldn't budge barely.
"Hm, that's... suspiciously strange..." X said, moving over to his right leg, the same thing occured; no motion.
"This can't be right..." He'd stop, putting down the hammer and inspecting his body once again with the flashlight, seeing the burned wires and sizzling metal.
"Yeesh.. I think we're gonna need a new body for you Ulrich."
"A new body?.. A NEW BODY?! But- I just had this one replaced 6 days ago! I-"
"Now don't fret, it's nothing really major if I can say that.. hah... I think it would take 1-2 buisness weeks for the transplant, so you might have to regress to just your head."
"...Regress?.. God, X, you know I get embarrassed like that..." Ulrich grimaced.
"I know I know, buuut it can be the only way to give you proper safety while your body is changed."
"...Fine." Ulrich said stubbornly.
"Great! Now let me just..." He'd walk on over up to his head, popping it off and putting it on a near cushion on his desk.
"I'll make sure to keep your head in a safe place, ok?"
"...Ok." Ulrich said deadpanningly.
God, this was going to be long... wasn't it?...
Later that day, Enigma requested to see Ulrich, because he heard that he was all ok mostly.
The doctors permitted him to, but had to use crutches, because the force of impact temporarily immobilized his legs.
He was told that he was currently in the cryptology room, where X placed him temporarily, so, he obviously went there slowly.
Opening the door, he'd move on over into the room, making sure to not trip himself.
His eyes lit up desperately as he saw Ulrich, now reduced to head form, chilling out on the desk of the office, he'd immediately go on over, hug him, and let go of the crutches with a thud, shielding the awakened ferrofluids head from the impact as his legs collapsed under him.
"Ulrich... I thought you were dead..." He'd mumble, his breath heavy from exhaustion.
"I'm sorry, Adler, ok? I should've listened to your warnings and not be so stubborn to ignore them.. I- I hate this.. I hate my own pain and ignorance.. I hate my-"
"Ulrich." Enigma interrupted, "there is no need to apologize really, it was my fault to engage with that conversation with you, I should've just ignored you."
"...I know, Adler. I insist, it's my fault."
"No, no no.. they're making a new body for you I suppose?.."
"Yeah.. it was destroyed... stupid me..."
"Hey, no, you're not stupid. Your just opinionated, and when your opinionated, you can be correct sometimes."
Ulrich paused and looked at Enigma, his face heavy and drifting off to sleep.
"Adler... you're getting sleepy you know, what if X comes back and sees us like this?.."
"Just... let me be Ulrich... pl.. ease..." He'd drift off to sleep, snoring on his head.
Ulrich sighed, but gave a hopeful chuckle.
Whatever else came forward to them, they would preserveer through it.
They know they could.
Because sometimes, it can work a miracle