Hours ticked by as EX silently worked, making adjustments to just about everything.

Finally after some time, he pressed the button on his neck and watched as he slowly came back to life.

NPC stood there for a moment as he slowly blinked a couple of times before looking around. He quickly noticed he didn't have to move completely to look around the room before looking down and slowly stepping forward.

He quickly got the hang of moving around and turned to EX who was smirking, proud of his work.

"How's it working for you?" He asked.

NPC glanced down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched them. "Excellently. Thank you." He stopped before processing what he said. "I... I can talk... normally. Huh..." He felt something swell within his chest and found himself smiling a little. "Wow... I... Is... Is this what happiness... feels like?" He asked, putting a hand over his chest, feeling the soft beating of his hardware in his chest.

EX watched him. "I guess- Are you alright?" He asked, watching NPC suddenly stare at his hands again.

NPC didn't respond and just continued to stare at his hands.

EX opened his mouth to ask again when NPC clenched his hands into fists, starting to shake a little, his breathing growing ragged.

EX stepped back as he watched the android when he turned sharply to EX.

A hateful look in his eyes. "What's the plan and when do we start." He asked.

EX looked at him before moving towards his papers. "Well, you want Grian, correct?"

A firm nod. "Yes. I want him to suffer."

EX slowly nodded. "We can do that. I'll teach you a couple of things you might be able to use-"

"No. You don't understand."

EX turned to him confused but flinched back with a gasp of surprise when he saw the blood red eyes with nothing but malicious intent in them.

"I wAnT hIm To SuFfEr." His voice glitched but EX understood what he meant.

"...Right. Okay..." He slowly turned back to his plans, staring at the papers, his hands shaking a little as he picked up one of the papers. "W-We..." He cleared his throat, collecting himself. "We are going to strike today. But we are going after Xisuma as well. Understood?"

"Understood. Let's go-"

"One more thing."

NPC glared, but waited.

"You have a role to play."

NPC's glare disappeared and replaced with confusion. "What?"

"When we catch Grian, you need to stay behind to reassure them that all is alright. That nothing happened. But, you'll come meet me at X's base and help me with him. Take him by surprise. But you have to be a convincing Grian. Can you do this?"

NPC processed the plan before nodding and looking up at him, smiling, not maliciously or with ill intent but with a friendly glow. "Sure thing, EX!" His voice was cheery and matched Grian's nearly flawlessly.

EX was surprised by the change but grinned. "Perfect. Let's go."

And the two left their base.