You still matter

Even if you're somebody who can't escape the feeling that the world's passed you by

You still matter

If you never get around to doing some remarkable thing

That doesn't mean that you're not worth remembering.

Lyrics from "Disappear" from Dear Evan Hansen

*about 4-5 years after the events of Prophecy*

A flickering light caught Cypress's attention. She slowly approached the square mirror hanging on her bedroom wall, reaching up to touch where she saw the glow. Her fingers grazed the glass where her right eye was hidden beneath mounds of her dark, curly hair. Cypress blinked, watching the shine of her eye shift from sky blue to yellow. It flickered until it was almost gone, sending a warning message throughout her system. After that, it returned to its normal hue.

     Cypress responded to the low-battery message by pulling more hair over her eye and hoping her parents wouldn't notice anything was wrong. There was no way she'd confess to her eye light going out. That would mean she'd have to leave the apartment to go shopping. Shopping meant she'd have to show herself to the public. If there was anything Cypress hated, it was going out in public.

     So many eyes would be on her. Everyone would see past her futile attempts at disguise and judge her for something she couldn't control. Cypress didn't remember much of her life before the accident. The only clear thing that stood out about the accident was that it was bad enough where she had needed cybernetic attachments to survive. The operation had been done in such a hurry that the doctors hadn't installed skin grafting, which meant Cypress was stuck looking exactly like what she was. Not exactly human, yet not exactly robotic either. A freak. A monster. An outcast.

     A knock on her bedroom door sent Cypress into a tizzy. She lurched backwards in surprise, bumping into her nightstand and knocking over a neatly-stacked pile of novels onto the ground. She scrambled over to her dresser to find a hat, a headband, or something that would cover the flickering eye.

     Her mother opened the door before she could find one.

     "Cy, Zane just messaged me and communicated that he has arrived in a safe conditi—what are you doing?" PIXAL squinted, narrowing her own bright green eyes. A single fleck in her left one had completely gone out, a sign of hope for Cypress that maybe her mother would agree to go shopping for eye lights without her.

     "I am... I am searching for a headband." Cypress decided to be honest, though not honest enough to reveal her true intentions.

     "That is delightful." Her mother's voice may have sounded automated, but there was a hint of pleasure in there. "Both your father and I enjoy it when you wear your hair back."

      Cypress refrained from pointing out that she never wore her hair back.

     "I have gotten off-topic." PIXAL smiled, drawing attention to the purple twisted lines running down her alabaster white face. Unlike Cypress's father, PIXAL chose to upgrade herself every few years, which showed in her sleek design and superior ability at making facial expressions. "Zane has arrived safely on the Dark Island. He will be punctual for the colonization gathering."

     "That is pleasant."

     "Indeed," PIXAL said.

     Cypress twitched as her eye flickered again. She immediately started searching for a change of subject to get her mother's mind off of it, but it was too late. P.I.X.A.L. had already started to frown.

     "Why did you not tell me your eye light was going out? We will have to go to the department store today to get a replacement." P.I.X.A.L. held up a hand before Cypress could protest. "You understand the consequences of letting it go out."

     Cypress did understand the consequences, and that was because she had suffered through it various times. When the light went out in her eye, the receptors would stop sending signals to her brain. To summarize, she'd lose her sight in that eye.

     Yet, Cypress would rather lose sight in one eye than have to face the stares of everyone around her. She quickly surveyed her surroundings for an excuse. "Mother, I can't go to the store. I... um, I have to clean my room. It's an utter pigsty right now, and I'm super busy the rest of the day."

     "Cypress, your room is in perfect order—" (PIXAL frowned at the spill stack of novels) "—mostly perfect order. As always, I might add. What is it, then, that will make you busy?"

     "I-I promised to... I promised the neighbor that I would... go out for coffee today. You know you've always been bothering me to get out and spend time with the other tenants."

     PIXAL shook her head. "I know that is a falsehood, but I understand your point. You do not wish to go."

     Cypress paused, hesitated, then shook her head. "I want to stay here," she whispered.

     "You cannot keep hiding here forever," PIXAL warned, stepping out of the room. "One day you will have to leave this nest and forge your own path. A day of reckoning will come, and your father and I will not be there to help you. You must practice your courage, yes?"

     Cypress readily agreed, though she was more focused on her relief than anything. Her mother was brisk in her actions and had left the apartment very soon. Cypress watched her leave, staring at the closed front door like it was a prison cell.

     Yes, she was lonely here. She had no friends, her family consisted of two nindroids, and her apartment wasn't nearly as big as a normal house. Cypress often liked to press her ear against the air vent in her bedroom so she could listen to the neighbor girl talk on the phone or sing. It was the closest thing to a companion she had. Sometimes Cypress would stare out the windows and imagine walking in the busy streets below. She did wish she could leave, but she dreaded every time that opportunity came near.

     Being lonely was worth not being an outcast. No one could mock her if they didn't know she existed. As much as it hurt Cypress to keep carrying out that life, she wouldn't trade her safety for the world.

>(<>)<

"I have news you may find unappealing," PIXAL said one night as she observed Cypress eating dinner. PIXAL didn't eat food. It was a perk and a curse of being a nindroid. That was another reason Cypress was grateful the surgeons hadn't replaced all of her with cybernetic attachments. She would be devastated if she had to give up ramen.

     "I have been requested to fly down the Dark Island to help your father with the colonization efforts. The colonists are experiencing issues with the local wildlife."

     Cypress practically choked on her noodles. "What!"

     "They will need me to stay until they have the situation under control. I do not know how long that will be," PIXAL said.

     "Why can't they get one of the other Ninja to help?"

     "Jay and Lloyd are already on to the Dark Island. They were with the first group of colonists to arrive. You must remember, Cy, Kai is too busy to keep up a Ninja's lifestyle, and Cole has young children he still needs to look after. I do not wish to leave you, but I must fulfill my duty as a protector of the citizens of Ninjago." PIXAL blinked twice before continuing. "Your cousin Bequeath has offered to watch you."

     "Not Bequeath!" Cypress burst out. Bequeath was... eccentrically wild, to put it in nicer terms. Cypress didn't hate her, but she wasn't Cypress's ideal relative to spend a few days with.

     "Bea is not a terrible companion. Besides, you can help her look after her children." PIXAL stood up as Cypress fiddled with the egg remains in her ramen's broth. "I will take you to her tomorrow morning. Please do not neglect to pack essentials."

     Her mother left to clean dishes before Cypress could say another word.

>(<>)<

"Cypress! Aunt PIXAL! How delightful to see both of you again!" Bea greeted her relatives with a wider-than-normal smile at her front door. Cypress was already feeling uncomfortable; Bequeath had the door painted a bright, saturated yellow. It didn't match the rest of the very toned-down exterior of her small house.

     "Thank you for agreeing to watch Cypress for us." PIXAL nodded as she carried Cypress's suitcase inside. "I never expected the wildlife situation to get this dire."

     "Well, I suppose it is called 'The Dark Island' for a reason," Bea laughed, setting the suitcase next to the door as she gestured for PIXAL and Cypress to come in. Cypress had to rub her eyes upon entering. She was used to seeing Bea in attire that made you wish to see things in black and white, but the house was even more chaotic. Each wall was a different color from the brightest areas of the color spectrum. If that were hard enough to look at, the decorations were even more out of place. Out of the corner of her eye, Cypress saw a nice-looking brass clock sitting on a teal wall. All around it were homemade snowflakes. To see something so nice hidden among a bunch of children's creations was almost scandalous, but then again, maybe Cypress was too used to seeing her parents' perfectly styled apartment.

     "Can I get you some tea or coffee before you leave?" Bea asked.

     "I will be fine, thank you," PIXAL responded, leaning down to kiss the top of Cypress's head. Her voice dropped to a lower volume as she addressed her daughter. "It will only be a few days. I am sure Bea will help you have a good time."

     "She has children," Cypress fretted. "Judging children who will make a ton of comments."

     "One day you are going to learn to not let others' opinions define you," PIXAL sighed, patting Cypress's head before standing up to her full height. Cypress would have been amused at the way her mother towered over Bequeath, but she was too nervous to care in the moment.

     When PIXAL finally waved goodbye and left the house, Cypress was two seconds away from making a run for the nearest closet and never coming out. Especially when a young boy toddled in from another room and started to complain that 'Mycelia' wouldn't give him back his toy car.

     He paused when he saw Cypress, studying her with large eyes before slowly backing into his mother. Bea scolded him, "Gareon, that's not how we greet guests. This is Cypress. She'll be staying with us for a few days."

     "Sorry." Gareon clutched at his mother's polka-dot skirt. "Hello."

     There were at least three doors that Cypress could see in her nearby surroundings. If she made a run for it, she figured Bequeath wouldn't be able to stop her in time.

     Bea scooped up her son, balancing him on one hip, and pressed her other hand against Cypress's back. "I'm sorry about my son; he's usually very shy around strangers. He'll warm up to you in no time. Now, let's go unpack your things."

     Cypress couldn't do anything but scream internally as she was led away.

>(<>)<

"We're going to the mall today!" Bequeath announced over lunch the next day. Gareon cheered, while Mycelia just cried for more food. Bea promptly stuck the neon green spoon back into a bowl of applesauce and held it up for her daughter to eat. Cypress was neither feeling excited nor hungry. Bea had been nice, as she always was, but Cypress couldn't help but squirm every time the eccentric woman looked at her. Cypress's dark, baggy attire didn't match the rest of the colorful house (Cypress didn't like to wear colors that stood out), and she kept fantasizing that Bea gossiped about it with her husband.

     Oh look, I have to watch a freaky cyborg for a couple of days. She doesn't even have the decency to wear anything other than grey. It's a shame to my house's aesthetic.

     It took a few moments after Bea started cheerfully explaining what stores they'd be going to that it registered with Cypress that Bea intended to take her along with them.

     "I think I ought to stay here," Cypress murmured, half-heartedly picking at her vegetable noodles. She was certain Bequeath had only bought them because they had different hues depending on which vegetable they were made out of.

     "Nonsense," Bea waved her hand, accidentally causing applesauce to fly off Mycelia's feeding spoon. "Going to the mall is always fun. Mother Doomsday has just opened a new store there. And we can stop by the food court and get everyone pretzels."

     "And the toy store!" Gareon added, his dark eyes gleaming.

     "And the toy store." Bea nodded toward him as she wiped food off of Mycelia's chin.

     "But—"

     "No 'buts' here," Bea said, smiling at Cypress. Cypress wasn't sure how Bea still managed to look wide awake with two young children, especially since the other Ninja parents Cypress had met were often tired all the time. "We're going together and we're going to pick out something nice for you. Your mother says you don't get out a lot, so it's time to have a little adventure."

     Cypress heavily considered making dashing to the guest room and locking the door, however, her stupid cybernetic statistics told her that the idea would only make the rest of her stay here harder. Cypress would just have to keep her head low and her long hoodie on. Hopefully, no one would notice her next to the saturated family.

     Bequeath chattered on about the different accessory stores she loved to visit on the drive there. Cypress assumed Bea visited the mall often, seeing as her orange mermaid dress was splattered with various fruit-themed beads around the neckline. Her purse also looked like something straight from a candy shop.

     "I know the perfect store to take you to," Bea said as she parked her baby blue SUV.

     She led Cypress through an alarmingly large parking lot, where it seemed like a thousand cars and motorbikes sat immobile. Cypress knew the exact number was only 186 cars and 32 motorcyles, but that was still a large enough number to make her huddle further into her dark hair.

    When the accident happened years ago, and the surgery had taken place, the doctors hadn't just given her cybernetic attachments. From what Cypress had heard, those weren't just normal items doctors had on hand. The attachments came from an android-in-progress named T.R.E.E. Cypress had first figured this out when T.R.E.E.'s systems would run while she was asleep, causing her to hear, "I am T.R.E.E, a Toggling Receptive Exceptional Entity," all night long.

     T.R.E.E. was just that, an android. It would run scans on new environments Cypress entered, as well as give a medical analysis on new people. Cypress had attempted to turn this feature off several times. Her parents had been able to shut off some of T.R.E.E.'s bothersome functions, but messing with it more could potentially result in Cypress-the-human malfunctioning.

     T.R.E.E. had a heyday with the mall.

     The person adorned in navy twenty meters away is coughing. They appear to be suffering from a slight cold. Please proceed around them with caution.

     The adolescent in green is staring your way. Please fix your posture to appear less inhuman.

     There are exactly thirty people in this store.

     "Turn off," Cypress whisper-pleaded, tapping her forehead. Bea gave her an odd look, though she was quickly distracted by Gaeron knocking over a whole bouncy ball stand. At least three employees were trying to decide whether to intercede, and Cypress felt ready to die from the attention. And the attention wasn't even on her. She pulled her sleeves up over her hands and seriously considered rolling into the fetal position.

     Bea had to buy five different bouncy balls by the end of the ordeal—due to Mycelia chewing on them—and then she declared it was time to go Cypress's store. Glumly, Cypress followed her cousin into the most ostentatious structure she'd ever seen.

     Every shelf was laced with colorful attire, the stands were covered in giant bows, and the ceiling itself had been spray-painted with glitter. The employee at the counter waved to Bea as she walked in.

     "If you see something you like, don't hesitate to tell me. I think you'll find this place rather charming," Bequeath said to Cypress after somewhat forcing her into the store. She ran off to stop Mycelia from gnawing on a set of socks soon after.

     Cypress took a deep breath and allowed T.R.E.E. to do its work.

     The most inconspicuous corner is ten meters ahead, behind the rack of rainbow suits. If you go there, there is a ninety-two percent chance no one will find you.

     Cypress wove her way through ornate stands and flashy dresses until she was out of sight from the rest of the store. The corner, as it turned out, was a secluded clearance section. A large mirror sat behind the various racks of discounted clothes, and next to the mirror was a stand of hair accessories. Cypress huddled in the corner, listening for when Bea would come looking for her. Until then, she was safe.

     While Cypress took in her surroundings, she noticed a butterfly pin on the floor. It was a rich aquamarine blue, with delicate wings that gently fluttered out at her touch. She examined the pin, then saw one of the shelf beside her filled with them. It must have fallen out.

     As she knelt to return the pin to its brethren, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Against her better judgment, Cypress turned to face the reflective glass, the pin still in hand. T.R.E.E. had just informed her that there was a ninety-two percent chance no one would find her here. No one would see her do it.

     Gingerly, Cypress lifted the clip and held it over her hair. It was a stark contrast to the greys of her attire, but something about it stood out when compared to her darkened mahogany skin. It might have been cheaply made and essentially useless, yet there was something about it that made it pretty. 'Pretty' and 'herself' were two words Cypress never thought she'd use in the same thought process, so this was a surprise. Taking another step forward, Cypress clipped the hairpin onto her curly locks. She tilted her head back and forth, studying the way the light reflected off the small faux jewels embedded in the wings.

     "It looks really good on you."

     Cypress yelped, tearing the pin from her hair and nearly falling backwards into one of the clothes racks. Bequeath had defied the odds and found Cypress hiding back here. The mother humorously shook her head at Cypress's antics, stooping down to grab the pin from the floor.

     "Come over here," Bea said. Cypress shook her head. Gareon and Mycelia wandered into the small area, with the former instantly making remarks about the pretty colors they were surrounded by. Bea reached over to tug at Cypress's arm, pulling her over to the mirror. Cypress didn't have time to react before her cousin swept aside the hair covering her cybernetics and pinned the curls behind Cypress's ear.

     Cypress started to cry. Her wires were exposed for the world to see, and even worse, she could see it. It didn't matter what accessories were on her, nothing would make her less of a freak. She was a monster and now the whole world could expose her for it.

     "Wow," Bea said. Cypress felt hands prying her own off of her face, forcing her to look at herself once again. "Cypress, you look wonderful."

     Cypress sobbed even louder in response. Bea just laughed, guiding Cypress's hands to point at the clip. "It goes so well with your skin. That's not even mentioning how it highlights your circuitry; Cy, it suits you."

     Cypress didn't believe her, yet there was something in Bequeath's tone that made her stop trying to struggle out of Bea's grip. That smile on Bea's face—it wasn't forced or hesitant. It was genuine. Bea thought that the hairpin suited Cypress. It made her look pretty.

     Cypress turned her attention back to the mirror. Even though it was small, the hair pin did bring out the warm undertones of her skin. The shining faux jewels gave the metal plating a more sophisticated look, blending together the dark and silver sides of her face. As much as Cypress would have liked to ignore it, the clip went with both sides of her, even the side she wanted to cover up. Not to mention Cypress had to admit that the pin itself was kind of pretty.

     "Let's make a deal, okay?" Bea leaned down, grabbing Mycelia before she could snap one of the other pins. Cypress could have tried to disappear at Bea's momentary distraction, but her feet were frozen. For the first time in her life, her circuitry was on display and she didn't do everything in her power to hide it.

     There is now a fifty-four percent chance of being seen.

     "I'll buy you the pin, and you will wear it around the house. In return, I won't ask you to come with me on shopping sprees again."

     Cypress hesitated. The last thing she wanted to do was keep her cybernetics on display full time around Bea's family. But if that meant she didn't have to go out in public... well... "I'll do it," she finally conceded, unclipping the pin and handing it to Bea.

     The mother gave Cypress one of those genuine smiles again as if she were happy about this whole ordeal. Cypress wasn't exactly miserable, though she was pretty anxious about it. She was smart enough to know Gareon and Mycelia wouldn't judge her face since they were too young to understand. Bea and her husband, however, might be much more critical. Cypress supposed she'd have to wait until T.R.E.E. came up with a good escape plan to plot her next course of action.

>(<>)<

"He's a fire-breathing dragon! Like from Great-Uncle Kai's stories!" Gareon exclaimed, running around the living room with a stuffed, scarlet lizard. He made throaty noises, knocking over the stuffed falcon Cypress was holding and moving on to tackle Mycelia's blocks. The latter kept stacking the same colors in order over and over, lost in her train of simplistic thoughts.

     Cypress laughed at his antics as she moved to help Mycelia put her blocks back together. The baby grasped at one of Cypress's metal fingers, staring at it with large eyes before sticking it in her mouth. Cypress gently tugged it free and handed Mycelia the stuffed falcon. Mycelia was satisfied by that.

     "It's time for the final battle," Gareon announced. He reached into his toy box and pulled out several more stuffed animals. Cypress looked around for a pillow (in Gareon's world, 'final battle' meant a pillow fight), but was quickly bombarded by an onslaught of plushy toys.

     Gareon laughed, making more growling noises as he playfully hit Cypress with the animals. "Surrender, fiend!"

     "Where did you even learn that word?" Cypress giggled and lightly smacked him with one of the snakes he'd dropped. Gareon responded by dogpiling her. Mycelia saw that everyone was climbing and decided she'd join in. Before long, both children were sitting on a splayed-out Cypress. Gareon pumped his fist into the air in victory. Mycelia was confused, but she decided the best course of action was to mimic her brother.

     Four people have just entered the household. Proceed with caution.

     Cypress sprung to a sitting position, nearly knocking both children off. Voices sounded from the other room, sending Cypress into a panic. She had to get to her room and put on a long sweatshirt. Maybe she could just hide in there until they left.

     "Gareon!" a booming voice called out. Gareon leapt to his feet, a large smile crossing his face.

     "GREAT-UNCLE COLE!" he shouted, running into the other room.

     Cypress paled, gently setting Mycelia down before dashing towards her room. She was too late, however, because Cole saw her before she could slip around the neon orange wall.

     "Cypress!" The man smiled, coming over to give her a hearty side-hug. "You look great! How've you been doing?"

     "Cypress is so cool!" Gareon said from Cole's shoulders as a means to get attention.

     Cypress mumbled something about how she needed to go, but it was too late. Cole's three children—the most rambunctious triplets in the universe—had already entered the room. They all tackled her in hugs upon seeing her, leaving as quickly as they came to swarm Mycelia and Bequeath.

     Cypress looked up at the mother with an expression of betrayal, and Bea just returned it with a tight smile. "I forgot to tell you they were staying for dinner tonight. Milo needs to discuss a business idea with Cole."

     Leave it to Bequeath to have an impromptu dinner with the world's most social great-uncle. Okay, maybe that was an overstatement. He was an only child, so by all technicalities, he was no one's uncle. And he didn't get out much because he was the sole provider for four children. But still. Cole was pretty much everyone's godfather within the Ninja group: Bea's, Storm's, Gareon's, and so on. Cypress suspected that if her parents had given birth to her, Cole would have been her godfather as well.

     "Cole, let go of the girl. You're strangling her," Bea joked, moving to Cypress's side to help her out of the embrace. Cypress hesitated; fleeing to her room would look very suspicious at the second and it was likely she'd get called out for it. Right then T.R.E.E. was advising her that the best course of action was to quietly wait for a chance to exit so no one would take notice of her cybernetics. Bea seemed to realize Cypress was waiting for an excuse to leave and quickly told her she needed to fetch Gareon's shoes from the other room. Cypress happily obliged.

     As she wandered through the halls cluttered with various handmade décor, she allowed her hair to cover her face once again. She grabbed her dark grey hoodie from the coat hanger, slipping it on over the blue shirt Bea had talked her into wearing. Cypress frowned as she zipped up the garment. Everything had been going fine over the past week. No one made any comments about her cybernetics, not even the children. She'd started to enjoy herself in the family's presence.

     It wasn't that Cypress didn't enjoy being around her uncle and his children, it was just the triplets had the same brutal honesty that their mother possessed. So far, she'd managed to appear insignificant every time she'd interacted with them before, but now there was no way she was going to escape their judgmental faces now. Especially now that they older, more observant, and Cypress wasn't surrounded by her extraverted sort-of-cousins.

     Cypress was able to escape the dreaded comments for a few hours. The triplets were having a heyday during dinner, chattering on about inane events at their schools. They were going to be moving into high school soon and were all really excited about it. Cypress did what she always did during social events: she scrunched her shoulders, wore the plainest and most modest attire she could find, and didn't talk to anyone. Every time the triplets cut into the adults' conversation Cypress flinched, expecting someone to make a loud remark about her.

     They got through the braised pork belly and steamed rice without chaos breaking out, but then Cole just had to suggest that the kids go outside to play.

     Yes, Cole was one of those adults. Much like her parents' other friends, he supported the view that if Cypress interacted more with people, then eventually her fear of socializing would disappear. Cypress knew Bea thought that way as well, but it wasn't like the mother tried to shove her into a room filled with kids. All Cypress had to put up with were two young children who had the attention span of gnats.

     "Let's play soccer! The backyard should be perfect for competition," Avery cheered. She was the oldest of the triplets, and the most rambunctious.

     "I want to play hide and seek," Yuki pouted. He preferred strategy games.

     "It'll be hard for Gareon to keep up if we play soccer," the youngest and cleverest, Lilly, pointed out. She was actually really good at soccer, at least, that's what Zane said. Cypress had never actually gone to Lilly's soccer matches.

     "Hide and seek!" Gareon agreed enthusiastically, still not entirely sure what was going on. He mimicked Yuki as the triplet used his chopsticks to lift rice to his lips, though Gareon's attempt ended with rice spilling into his lap.

     "Cypress is the seeker!" Avery shouted, getting out of her chair and grabbing Cypress's arm before the disgruntled teen could react. Cypress yanked her metal hand away, taking in deep breaths to calm her rising hysteria.

     Lilly lifted Mycelia out of her highchair and carried her out into the backyard. Cypress felt more hands lead her outside; there were more touches than she was able to handle. T.R.E.E. started to warn her about a rising heart rate while the kids enthusiastically ran off into the trees behind Bea's house.

     "Count to one hundred!" Avery exclaimed before dragging her brother off into the woods. Gareon toddled behind them, calling out for them to wait for him.

     Cypress sank into the grass, taking deep breaths until the red spots in her vision subsided. When she opened her eyes and no one was there, she turned her attention to her metal arm. Cypress peeled back the grey hoodie, staring at the circuitry like it was an infectious disease. What had Avery thought when she touched it? Did she think it was a horrific oddity? Did she only want Cypress to be the seeker because she wanted to hide from her?

     She could hear Bea protesting the event from inside, but both Milo and Cole were assuring her that nothing bad would happen. The woods outside of the house led to a quaint park trail, not a deep, mystical forest filled with dangerous creatures. Cypress waited until her panic attack had subsided (it seemed to be about one hundred seconds), then rose to her feet to find the children. She'd bring them all back inside to calm down Bequeath and quietly exit the dinner afterwards. Then, she could hide in her room for the rest of the night. She'd already had more than enough of socializing.

     I am not able to provide information on people outside of a ten-meter radius. T.R.E.E. said. Cypress knocked on her skull to quiet it. At least that was one feature she had been able to turn off. T.R.E.E. liked to act as a GPS, but the directions on how to get around her apartment eventually annoyed Cypress to the point of shutting it down.

     Cypress pulled her sleeves down and started scouring the yard. The various bushes outlining the fence were wild and untamed; the branches provided no area to crouch without being poked. All of the trees in the yard (save the ones that led to the park trail) were but mere saplings. They gave no cover for anyone. Not to mention they had been spray-painted yellow for an unknown reason. The bright colors would have given anyone away.

     Cypress steeled herself, then started towards the woods.

     The child is starting to get uncomfortable. T.R.E.E. stopped her advance. If you tend to her now, there is an eighty-six percent chance Bequeath will not get upset.

     Cypress was heavily considering going to find a hammer. Maybe a good knock in the head would make the stupid computer shut up.

     The child is starting to cry. The adolescent's attempts to soothe her are falling short. There is now a fifty-two percent chance that Be—

     "What child?" Cypress growled, hoping her voice was low enough where no one could hear. "Wait—you mean Mycelia? Where is she?"

     T.R.E.E. insisted that Cypress needed to turn on its location services, but Cypress was already frantically going through the yard again. She had grown quite attached to the baby, and there was no way she was going to let any of the triplets look after her if she was crying. The triplets were the youngest out of all the Ninja kids. They probably had little to no experience dealing with babies.

     The yard was still empty, so Cypress made a beeline for the woods. T.R.E.E. beeped in her head.

     Location services disabled.

     "Be quiet," Cypress hissed, feeling around in her pockets for some sort of light source and finding none. Off in the distance, between the hoots of owls and the chirps of katydids, a faint sound of fussing echoed. Cypress's panic grew as she took in the vast expanse of trails surrounded by willow trees. What if someone saw her looking for the children? They'd call her a monster; they'd suspect she was trying to kidnap them. She had to find them as quickly as possible to avoid such outcomes.

     Sighing, Cypress pulled aside her hair to unlock the panel on the metal half of her face. Guided by T.R.E.E., she flipped a few switches and whispered the commands.

     Location services enabled. Searching for nearby life forms. Loading... loading... life forms detected. Setting a course to the nearest two.

     The trail was a pleasant road to walk down during the day. The large, swinging trees provided shelter from the heavy sun as well as giving off the sensation of floating on the winds. Various wildflowers sprung up around the creek bubbling through the center of the area. Bea mentioned she liked to walk the trail a lot before she had Gareon. Her children were too young to enjoy the vegetative hike, so she had decided to stay at home and work on her yard.

    Cypress hadn't paid much attention to the trail before. She stayed in the house and avoided all forms of leaving it. She had seen the trail from the guest bedroom's window, and she had often observed it was a much prettier view than the one out of her home apartment. Yet now, in the pitch black of night, the majestic display of nature had turned to a cruel horror scene.

     The lightness of the leaves had shifted to dense shapes stealing the light from the stars. The trees themselves seemed to twist high into the air like spikes in a gate to a haunted mansion. Every sound was amplified by the quietness of the night, making Cypress wish more and more that she'd just ran to her room the minute T.R.E.E. warned her other people entered the house.

     When she finally crouched behind a particularly compact thicket of trees and other foliage, she found Lilly cradling Mycelia against her chest. The dark-haired triplet lit up upon seeing Cypress, but didn't pause her rocking. An owl hooted nearby, which caused Mycelia to start fussing again. Lilly patted her head and guided her attention to Cypress.

     "I know you're supposed to find the others, but I think she needs to go home," Lilly said.

     I've detected another life form approaching. They appear to be upset.

     Cypress turned to see Gareon toddling towards them, tears in his eyes.

     "I'm lost!" he sobbed, throwing himself into Cypress's lap. "I can't find the others, this place is scary, and I want Mommy."

     Mycelia, upon seeing her brother crying, started to wail. Lilly tried her best to calm the baby down by patting her head, but that didn't work at all. The wails turned to echoing screams as the wind carried the noise high into the trees.

     Cypress reached down to cup Gareon's cheek, flinching when her metal fingers touched his skin. She couldn't feel the wetness of his cheeks. She was more concerned about using her dreaded hand.

     "Gareon, it's going to be okay," Cypress whispered, using her other hand to pat Mycelia's head. The baby crawled towards her as the two young children continued to cry. Even Lilly looked paler in the thin moonlight, though she was doing better at hiding her fear than the others. "We'll find the others and go home as soon as possible."

     "I wanna go home now!" Gareon whimpered.

     "Do you want to leave Avery and Yuki out here by themselves?" Cypress asked. "It's awfully dark out. What if a dragon comes after them?"

     "A dragon?" Gareon huddled into her side, not caring at all if said robotic side wasn't comfortable.

     Cypress attempted to laugh, though she could hear the rough tones of T.R.E.E. escaping through her voice. The android had even infected the way she sounded, though Cypress suspected now wasn't the best time to be dwelling on that. She rubbed circles into the toddler's back. "Yeah, a big dragon, like the one from your games. We'll have to rescue Avery and Yuki from him like the Ninja."

     "There's not a dragon in the woo—"

     "You're a brave Ninja, aren't you Gareon?" Cypress cut Lilly off, throwing a meaningful look in the triplet's direction.

     "Yeah!" Gareon leapt to his feet, his fear forgotten. "We're going to slay the fiendish dragon!"

     "That's the spirit." Cypress smiled at him. Mycelia started chattering her baby talk upon seeing her brother get excited. Gareon searched for a twig to use as his sword.

     "Do you even know where the others are?" Lilly whispered as they followed the toddler down the dark path.

     "I-I... I could find them." Cypress backed away from the triplet's searching glance. "It would just take time."

     "No, that's not what I was saying. Can you locate the others through a tracker?"

     "W-w-what...?"

     Lilly put a hand on her hip. "You seriously have a computer attached to your brain and you're not going to use it?"

     Cypress about collapsed on the spot. A computer attached to her brain? Is that how Lilly saw her? A walking computer?

     Two more life forms detected. In about five meters, turn left to approach the creek.

     "I... I am using it." Cypress mumbled, pulling more hair over her face. "Your siblings are hiding by the creek."

     "Wow," said Lilly, stopping to hold Mycelia with her other arm. "Can you light up the path too?"

     "Light?" Cypress's voice cracked.

      "Yeah, can you activate a flashlight or something?"

     Flashlight option disabled. T.R.E.E. replied in Cypress's brain.

     Cypress reeled in shock. She had a flashlight option? How could she have missed that? It would have been so useful for reading at night, or getting a late-night snack, or—Cypress paused. She was considering her cyborg parts as useful. That was ridiculous. She'd still get rid of them in an instant. She'd do anything to be normal... right?

     "T.R.E.E. activate the flashlight," Cypress whispered, tapping her forehead.

     Setting up flashlight. Loading... loading... loading...

     Suddenly, Cypress's right eye lit up, causing the path in front of her to shine. Gareon swiveled, yelling that there was a dragon, then realized all the light was coming from Cypress and not dragon fire.

     "Wow, Cypress, there's a glowing butterfly on your face!" Gareon said. Cypress started to panic until she realized the eye-light was causing her pin to light up. She grinned.

     "Yep!"

     For the first time in her life, Cypress was happy about something T.R.E.E. could do. It was as much a shock to her as it was a wonderful surprise to the others. Gareon would later ask his mom what it took to have built-in powers, while Lilly wondered why Cypress hadn't joined the other children on the adventure to fulfil a prophecy years ago.

     When they finally found the last two triplets, the group headed home. Cypress spent the rest of her night laughingly trying to figure out what else T.R.E.E. could accomplish while the others chanted for different abilities. Cypress discovered T.R.E.E. could not only navigate, scan areas, and shine a light, but it was also capable of surfing the internet, taking photos, and connecting to speakers.

     Gareon was beside himself with excitement when he first heard T.R.E.E.'s voice come out of a device, and Cypress, though thoroughly embarrassed, felt it was nice to have other people know T.R.E.E. was there. Sometimes it felt like T.R.E.E. was just something Cypress made up, rather than an actual presence. While there were comments about her being a cyborg, mostly the young children were excited to see how 'cool' Cypress was.

     Cypress herself was mildly excited to experiment with the android once she was alone. She had never thought that T.R.E.E. could be of interest to her, and for once, she was excited to see where it could take her from there.

>(<>)<

"I wanna be like Cypress!" Gareon's muffled voice sounded on the other side of the guest bedroom's door. "Momma, can you get me a metal arm?"

     Bea said something in reply, but Cypress had already tuned them out. She rolled over in the polka-dotted covers, staring at the magenta wall beside her like it was the most interesting thing in the world. She knew she was pouting, and she wasn't exactly sure why.

     A gentle knock sounded on the door. Cypress begrudgingly pulled herself out of bed and made her way over. Bequeath was waiting; she had managed to shoo her son off to another room.

     "Bad night?" Bea guessed, walking over to open the curtains.

     Cypress didn't feel like answering.

     "I can never sleep well when I'm excited about something." Bea had entered the room with a large plate of shining pins, which she was now clipping on the curtains. It was so out of place that Cypress almost laughed. That was until she noticed all the pins were identical to the one sitting on her nightstand.

     Cypress knew what she was supposed to be excited about. PIXAL had called Bea last night to tell her she'd be arriving in Ninjago City today. That meant Cypress could finally go back home. Cypress stared at the pin on her nightstand, then looked up to find Bea watching her with concern.

     "What if..." Cypress forced out the words, sitting down on the rumpled blankets. "What if I don't want to go back?"

     Bea tilted her head. "You don't want to leave us?"

     Cypress struggled to find words. Being open about how she was feeling was a somewhat new concept. Most of the time all she felt was fear towards going outside, and her parents knew her well enough to know when she was anxious. Thus, Cypress never really had to discuss her emotions.

     Her fingers closed over the blue butterfly. "I don't want to sit in the apartment."

     "What's different about your apartment?" Bea asked, continuing to pin the clips all over the curtains. "You spend most of your time here 'sitting', do you not?"

     "But there are other people here."

     Bea's dark eyes twinkled. "I see. You finally wish for companionship."

     Cypress watched the mother expand her pinning to different picture frames and streamers slung across the ceiling. "I don't know. The apartment is cold, and my mother is logical. She's not like you, Gareon, and Mycelia. She looks at the world through a set of equations, but you all look at the world with wonder."

     "You're afraid of going back to face your android side," Bea said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

     Cypress flinched, looking back down at her exposed arm. Despite years of use, the hinges still moved like they were brand new. The piece in itself was made of very fine craftsmanship; it was stitched with care by its makers.

     Cypress knew the vague story of how she came to be this way. She and her biological family had come down with a deadly virus. As they were rushing to the hospital, they got into a serious car crash. The doctors weren't able to save her biological parents, but they were able to save her. Still, it didn't make sense for the doctors to have such fine circuitry on hand for a surprise project like Cypress. She had never wondered why T.R.E.E. was so finely built, nor what it was supposed to be before it became part of her.

     Cypress didn't realize Bea had crouched down in front of her until she saw Bea's fingers tracing the metal plating. It needed to be buffed up and shined; Cypress never took care of the cybernetics unless she absolutely had to. It was easier for her to ignore that half of her. But T.R.E.E. was a part of Cypress. She couldn't just dismiss it and live a happy life. Deep down, Cypress knew that if she truly wanted to be satisfied with who she was, then she'd have to accept both halves of herself.

     The human and robot.

     She had already seen the light of companionship among the humans. It was time to finally look at the nindroids and not see inhuman creatures.

     "Why did my parents adopt me?" Cypress asked.

     Bea placed a butterfly pin in Cypress's metal palm. "Your parents really wanted a child before they met you. You didn't have any extended family willing to take you in after the accident, and most guardians were repulsed by the idea of sheltering a cyborg. So Zane and PIXAL knew it was the perfect fit."

     Cypress sucked in air through her teeth. She closed her eyes and forced out the words, "What was T.R.E.E. meant to be before... before it was dismantled?"

     "It was meant to be a child. An nindroid, like your parents. Zane gave it up so he could save your life."

     "My father saved my life?"

     "He was the doctor that performed your surgery."

     Cypress's gut felt hollow. She'd always imagined the surgeons behind her freakiness to be mad scientists, or resentful doctors just doing what it took to get their next paycheck. She never thought it could have been her own father, carefully putting her together with loving hands. Now she felt bad about ever hating T.R.E.E. at all. Her poor father must have put so much work into her, and Cypress came out resenting him for it.

     She sighed, melancholy. "Do they regret it?"

     "Cy," Bea waited until Cypress looked at her. "All your parents ever wanted was to have a child of their own. They knew building one wouldn't be enough. They didn't take you on because you have part of their creation in you, they took you on because they loved you. They may not be entirely human, but they know what love is. They wanted to give you a chance to live among understanding guardians, ones who would support you as you faced the struggle of adapting to two identities."

     "That's why they named me Cypress," Cypress said softly. "They told me it was because a cypress tree is a tree that symbolizes death. My biological parents died, and through their death, I was fused with T.R.E.E."

     "I know I will never understand the burden it takes to bear both halves. But what I do know is that it doesn't have to be a burden." Bea closed Cypress's fingers around the butterfly. "As you said, humans look at the world with 'wonder'. We are the exuberant lifeforce that keeps the world turning. Nindroids look at the world with logic. They are the problem-solvers, the ever-loyal helpers, the companions to help us capture the best moments in life. Both beings are beautiful, and it takes a very special person to find the goodness in both. You say your apartment is cold. Why not brighten it up with your very-human laughter?"

     Cypress smiled at the mother, using the pin to pull the dark strands of her hair out of her face. "I... I like that idea."

     Bea moved to her feet, picking up her now-empty plate to head back over to the door. Gareon whined from the other room about something Mycelia did. Bea shook her head, smiling gently as her thoughts moved towards her children. "Make sure you're all packed up before your mother gets here, okay?"

     "I'll be ready," Cypress said.

     "I'll tell your mother to let you visit often."

     "That would be much appreciated." Cypress nodded, for the first time not caring if T.R.E.E.'s tone leaked into her voice.

     "See you around," Bea said, finally giving a small wave and closing the door behind her.

     Cypress waited in silence, looking around at the various butterflies pinned everywhere. The insects that started this crazy change. She smiled at them, then jumped off the bed to throw her clothes into the suitcase.

     It was time to go home.

>(<>)<

"The wild boars were the worst part," PIXAL stated as she pressed the elevator's button to take it to their floor. "They have a peculiar venom in their tusks. At first, I found it biologically impossible for such a phenomenon to occur, but then Zane showed me the records he had created for other wildlife. They are just as strange."

     "It is called the Dark Island for a reason," Cypress quoted Bea. She adjusted her grip on her mother's small briefcase. PIXAL put everyone else to shame when it came to scarce packing. She'd been gone for over a month and had only brought the briefcase with her.

     PIXAL smiled. "Yes. Overall, our trip was successful. It shouldn't be much longer until your father can return as well."

     The elevator beeped, slowing as it reached their floor. The doors started to open, exposing the long beige hallway acutely decorated with various paintings of beaches. Cypress and her mother began their trek down the hallway quietly. PIXAL seemed to be enjoying the familiarity of the place, while Cypress was more concerned with re-entering the apartment. She'd hidden in there for the longest time, too scared to face the world around her. Cypress was ready to face the world now, but she wasn't sure how to do so.

     They passed by identical painting after identical painting, each with a hand-carved mahogany table beneath it. It was all exactly positioned, all the same décor. The apartment building was decorated like Cypress's apartment. Everything was aesthetically pleasing and perfectly in order. There was no chaos like there was at Bea's house.

    Perhaps that was the reason why Cypress's home had always felt so lifeless. The whole building reeked of perfect robotic proportion, and Cypress had lived with literal nindroids. As Bea said, it was a place of logic and practicality, but the wonder wasn't there.

     You say your apartment is cold. Why not brighten it up with your very human laughter?

     PIXAL reached down to type in the entry key to their apartment once they reached the hardwood door. Cypress fidgeted behind her, her mood dropping with each beep from the keypad.

     Then, the door next to them opened.

     The neighbor girl and her mother walked out, the former carrying a rolled-up blanket, and the latter carrying a picnic basket. PIXAL called hello to them, exchanging simple words before glancing back to make sure Cypress hadn't dashed inside to hide.

     Cypress set down the briefcase and walked right over to the neighbor girl.

     "Hello, I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name is Cypress."

     PIXAL's mouth dropped open.

     The neighbor girl hesitated, then smiled. "Hi, I'm Rin. It's—uh—it's nice to meet you."

     "I'd like to start making friends around the apartment complex," Cypress said, reaching up to finger her butterfly pin for strength. "Do you think we could meet up sometime? I have some really fun board games we could play, and there's a popular cafe down the street if you wanted to meet there."

     "That sounds nice," Rin said. "I don't have school tomorrow; we could meet up in the lobby after lunch."

     Cypress gave her a thumbs up. "Great! I'll see you then."

     Rin smiled in return, waving goodbye as her mother guided her over to the elevator. Cypress turned to PIXAL, her eyes shining.

     "Well, well," PIXAL said. "It seems the logical findings of wild boars isn't the only new thing that happened while I was away."

     Cypress couldn't keep the grin off her face. She tucked her hair behind her metal ear, showcasing her circuitry to the world. Even if there was no one in the hallway other than her and her mother, she still was prepared to never let it cover her face again.

     Good job, Cypress, T.R.E.E. said inside her head.

     Then Cypress laughed, a human laugh filled with joy, and helped her mother get situated back inside the apartment. Yes, a lot had changed since the beginning of her trip. She was willing to face both sides of herself now, the human and robot. Both sides were beautiful and valid. Cypress knew that now she was ready to take on the world, wherever that task would lead.

     She was ready to fill her life with wonder.

Finis.