Don't be so melodramatic about it.

Bah.

--DING--

Hah! There we go.

Well? What are you waiting for?

Oh no, dear. Ladies first.

You, a gentleman? Now I've seen everything.

[ The shimmering air that is the female voice contracts, tightens and solidify, the light it emits growing more and more intense by the second before discharging in a brilliant flash. When the light is gone, there's a body corresponding to the voice: a female, relatively tall, green eyes, blonde hair swept back; she is dressed in a rather peculiar outfit: a green metal bikini, arm guards and shoulder pads, boots that reach her knees and look like they're impossible to walk in. All in all, she looks like Megaman would if he were female. She flexes her arms briefly, and looks at the nothingness that is the male. ]

Have I told you that I love your corporeal form, Zabie?

Zabie: *smirks* No, but expected as much from you, old flatterer.

Hey, can't sue a man for knowing what he likes and liking what he sees. My turn.

[ The male contracts as well, but instead of changing to corporeal form with a flash, he assumes a foggy resemblance of a human body first whose features then "bleed" into reality. It results in a man dressed in a black jumpsuit with body armor the same color as hers, a helmet to go along with it and the same silly boots. He bows curteously before the female, and straightens back up with a grin. ]

Zabie: Oh, cut it out already, Xaby.

Xaby: Oh come now. After all this time we spent waiting, I'm entitled to enjoy being corporeal. *looks around with a wistful sigh* Time to give the old girl some rest, hm?

Zabie: I agree. She's done all she could. It's our job from here on. *gestures* All systems: shutdown.

[ The light dims instantly from whiteout to dark, revealing a shadowy laboratory, ages old, with thick layers of dust covering the consoles and screen everywhere. ]

Xaby: *eyes Zabie* How does it feel?

Zabie: Hm? What do you mean?

Xaby: Shutting her off. I mean. She is-- she /was/ you. In a way. Your predecessor, anyway.

Zabie: *looks at her hand blankly* I... don't know. *straightens suddenly* We don't have time for this. We need to find him. That is our Task, after all.

Xaby: Oh yeah. The "Task". Huh.

Zabie: *sighs, rolling her eyes* Just come. *she heads for a door in the back, attempting to open it* Hngh! Frozen shut. Wonderful.

Xaby: Hah. Locked in in an old laboratory in an even older warehouse everyone has forgotten about. Well, if that isn't a good start into our corporeal life, I don't know what is.

Zabie: *fuming* Oh, shut up.