When Reality Strikes

Author's note: Hey! I started off with the given prompt, but somehow the story ended up differently! Hope you like it, and please leave a feedback! Thanks :)

"Gear up, Zen," Zylith growled.

Her bushy hair, barely contained in a hair tie, ware escaping and making her clench her teeth with frustration.

"What do you think I'm doing then, Lith? Dancing about?" Zen cracked.

Zylith felt Zen's anger surface, so she tried to pacify.

"Ok...ok...but please do it fast!"

Zen smirked.

"That's like a good girl."

"HEY! Don't call me that! We're not humans. We are 'Sloof' and better than these flesh-bags," Zylith said, crinkling her nose.

Zen rolled his eyes. He didn't understand why Zylith hated humans and wanted to control them, but he was bound to help her as she had done his math homework.

A petty reason, he knew, but that gave him an excuse to be with Zylith.

"Remind me to never ask you to do my work again," Zen said.

Now it was Zylith's turn to smirk.

"We'll see when the homework time comes, dear Zen."

No one said anything after that, and silence loomed in the polished white dome. Gadgets were placed everywhere. Big computers, small MAC's, Blackberries, Apples', Vivos', Samsungs' and all that ever existed.

After 2 long hours, Zen exclaimed.

"Ta-da! Done!"

Zylith leaned forward from her not-so-comfortable chair, and as she examined the program Zen had entered in the screen, a triumphant smile covered her face.

Grinning, she stood up suddenly and wrapped Zen in a bone-crunching hug.

"Wooooooohoo! We did it!"

Zen nodded, catching on to Zylith's infectious grin.

His only satisfaction was that Zylith was pleased.

Back in their world, Zylith was always too busy to talk to him, so he was glad for this opportunity.

"Now what?" he asked, sitting back, and rubbing his arm, which was aching slightly, owing to Zylith's bear hug.

"Humph. Now we have to spread this gadgets far, far and wide, make flesh-bags addicted to them, and then- zip! control them like this," she snapped her fingers, eyes shining with a wicked gleam.

5 years later

"Gosh Zen, our plan is working like fire. They didn't even notice when I killed the sparrows! Nor when I reduced the number of fishes in such a large quantity! Nor when---"

"Yeah...yeah I get the idea, Zylith."

Zen's short curls were handsomely covering his face. His blue eyes weren't capable of deceiving anyone, but he was bound to Zylith. He was her good friend and couldn't allow her to do anything bizarre alone. He didn't like this idea one bit, but what could he do?

He sighed softly. So quietly, that Zylith didn't notice.

She was busy dancing around with the mega success of her plan.

Tearing open a bag of chips, which she swore that she only ate because there wasn't anything else to, (but Zen knew the truth. He always does, when it comes to the grey eyed) she plopped on 'the' not-so-comfortable chair, and began humming to herself.

Soft breeze ran in and out, and she fell in a sleep.

Her eyes opened, and found Zen reading one of the 'human book'.

"Where did you get that one?" she asked.

Zen jumped.

Zylith had fallen asleep, and usually, she didn't get up so soon. He knew that Zylith hated the human things, but the books they wrote, and the stories they told, fascinated Zen so much, that whenever Zylith wasn't around, he would read one of the books he had collected and kept them back, hiding, when it was time for Zylith to come.

Today, however, he was caught in the act.

Zen gulped.

Zylith's cold eyes softened.

"I-I am just messing around, Lith. Cool down," he said, gripping the book tightly.

"Chill out, Zen," she winked. "You can do anything today, and I won't utter a word. It's my victory day today, time to celebrate."

Zen visibly relaxed.

"But just for today," Zylith muttered and left the room.

Zen looked at the book lovingly.

"These emotions...How is it possible?" he wondered, utterly confused.

He wondered how the hell had he started crying, simply reading... words?

An unknown fear gripped him.

He didn't knew what it was, but all he understood was that human emotions were greater, far far greater than all the technology their Sloof world had to offer.

In that instant he knew that Zylith's plan wasn't going to work. He knew, but as always, couldn't do anything.

"Zen! Zen! Look what's happening!" Zylith cried out, alarmed.

Zen rushed out of his room, brushing off the mop of hair on his forehead.

"What's wro-?" he started, but stopped midway and midsentence.

Gasping, he could only stare.

All the programs he had built over the years, seemed to collapse on the big screen.

"Zen, oh Zen, what-why is this happening?"

Apparently, Zylith had gone too far controlling human emotions. She had tried separating families with her new technology. The AI robots chips.

"Zylith, it's time," Zen whispered, approaching his wary friend.

"Time? Time for what?" Zylith couldn't control herself.

"Time for us to leave the Earth. Go back to our world."

"But we haven't even finished the task. What the hell? First tell me what is this. What the hell is this?" she spread her arms around the dome, gadgets of which were blinking rapidly.

Her grey eyes were a tray of emotions.

Anger, confusion, frustration.

"Humans have abandoned the use of AI." Zen said quietly.

Zylith snorted. "Yeah, That's very, very likely. Are you playing me for a fool, Zen? You didn't enter in the program correctly, right? That's why you are covering up and lying that the flesh bags have abandoned AI."

Zen looked up. He couldn't believe his ears.

After all these years, he could see the shades of Zylith.

"How...how could you?" he said, eyes reflecting pain.

Zylith took a step.

"Don't pretend with me. I know it's your fault. My plan could never- never in a thousand years go wrong."

Zen simply shook his head. In defeat.

"You know what, Zylith? You're right. It is my fault. I couldn't stand up to you when you were wrong, I didn't hesitate to follow you all over here from 1000s' of distance from home. I am wrong. I couldn't see who you truly are before. Hell. Do you even understand what's the problem? These humans have great emotions. Whatever the situation comes, they may get side-tacked at first, but family and friends do matter to them. A lot. And in the end, they are united, no matter what. No matter Zen. No matter Zylith. Unlike you. You used me. You had me when your time was going on nicely. And now, when your plan has failed, you have the audacity to blame me? Even when you know that my program is every bit perfect? I am a fool to even try and talk to you."

In a more calm tone, he continued, "Zylith you can leave, go back, or stay here. Do whatever you please. But I can't go back. That world reminds me too much of you. Every place in there, every memory-- it is of you. I won't be myself if I go back there. I'm staying here."

Zylith was speechless. She had never expected Zen to stand up to her. Eyes narrowed, she packed her bag, kicked the gadgets in cold fury, opened her quantum transportation, and was out of the Earth, without a single word.

Zen was broken.

How would you feel when your world has suddenly left you? Without any explanation?

Welcome tears sprang out his eyes. He realized that books had affected him even more than he ever thought as possible.