Disclaimer: Digit the Livewire and Gear the Amplifier © Blank the Snivy

Chapter Forty Four

The Livewire and The Amplifier

~Well, here goes.~

The Chihuahua sat down at a simple steel table set outside of a popular café, his mind abuzz with rampant thoughts of what was to come. It had been nearly eight years since he'd seen his brother and the hatred since then has grown to immeasurable heights. He had no idea what to expect at all from his brother really since it had been so long. He knew a bit from what he had researched in the G.U.N. databases and discovered that his brother had taken up the same path of engineering as well, but Digit knew there would be more to it than it seemed.

Digit sighed in frustration as the minutes crawled by painfully to him before he finally took a fleeting glance downwards at the black suitcase he had brought with him. A small smirk curled across his face at the sight of the simple leather black suitcase since he knew that within was his greatest invention ever. Ever since he had received an email from his brother demanding that he make himself known Digit had worked night and day on the new weapon, knowing full well that it would have to be able to pull out all the stops against his brother no matter what.

A feeling of sudden unease filled the dog's bones as a figure approached him, causing him to look up to find a very familiar face smiling down at him.

"Didn't recognize you for a second, you've grown so much D." chuckled the electric blue Chihuahua staring down at Digit with the same amethyst eyes that he had.

"We're Chihuahuas, we barely grow at all G." replied Digit humorously, employing the old joke they always used when they were kids.

Digit returned the same plastic smile his brother wore, before finally getting up to greet him. The other Chihuahua, who was merely an inch taller than Digit, extended a hand out in a handshake and the Livewire obliged. A hug would be too awkward under these circumstances and even if they did embrace each other Digit wouldn't feel a damn thing. After the brief shake of hands the two geniuses analyzed each other as they sat down to see how much they've grown and the subtle things they might be able to exploit if the time came.

Gear Reever, nicknamed G, was an electric blue Chihuahua with matching purple eyes and white fur on his muzzle and in his ears. He wore a simple black t-shirt with the G.U.N. logo printed on his right breast, brown cargo shorts, and a pair of black sneakers with dark blue trim. A pair of black wristbands encircled his wrists that also had a metal plates built into the front, along with a black headband with a matching metal plate on the front of it as well. A pair of long pointed bangs framed the older hihuahua's youthful, smiling face, but Digit knew all too well that it was a lie.

Both of them then took a seat while still managing to keep the smiles as the tension increased.

"Sooooooooooo," trailed off Gear a bit awkwardly as he tried to figure out what to say. "I'll be blunt, where the hell have you been?" he then asked with a small chuckle, knowing that it may be too straightforward.

Digit shrugged simply. "Well, I'm pretty sure whatever you've found out is true." Answered the green Chihuahua nonchalantly but managing an amused chortle. "You know we should probably get to those question when we're away from here." He suggested. "The only reason I wanted to meet up here was so we could break the ice and at the airbase we'd get to the serious stuff." Explained Digit feigning a nervous and shaky expression to give Gear the impression that he was nervous at the reunion.

The other Chihuahua nodded and suppressed a very quiet growl that Digit didn't hear before leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, wouldn't want to scare the people around here wouldn't we?" he asked rhetorically with a small malicious smirk.

~This is going to be interesting.~

"Let's start simple I guess." chuckled Digit, managing to stay calm despite the situation with his brother. "How've you been the last few years, I never saw you on a G.U.N. roster until you sent me that email." Questioned the Livewire curiously, his face a façade of intrigue.

A genuine chuckle escaped Gear's lips as he crossed his arms and looked at his younger brother. "Alright I'll play along for now," he stated with a shrug. "well, I went up in rank pretty quickly 'cuz I was so smart, built some pretty cool weapons for G.U.N. and earned myself a place in their Weapons Division," explained gear expertly with a conceited snicker. "They probably blacklisted me to keep me out of harm's way." He then said with yet another shrug.

"Heh doesn't look like it'll do much here though." commented Gear snidely under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Gear suddenly, not quite catching what he said.

"Just asking if you've had any combat experience." deflected Digit simply, knowing his brother wasn't much of a keen listener. "You look big, wondering if that was either fat reserves or just a beer gut." he remarked playfully with a hint of malice behind it.

"Oh I've seen combat a few times, but you shouldn't be one to talk though since I'm assuming you're just a pencil pusher with your friends." Replied Gear coldly with a smirk.

"Prick." said Digit matching his smirk.

"Asshole." replied Gear.

"Water?" asked a happy-go-lucky feline waitress suddenly as she approached their table with a pitcher of water and a few glasses.

"No thank you." answered the two brothers simultaneously without even turning to her.

"Okay, then may I take your orders then?" asked the feline briskly as she handed off the pitcher to someone else and took out a notepad and pen; oblivious to the tension surrounding the two.

"Just a burger." answered Gear simply.

"Sweet potato fries." answered Digit afterwards.

"Oh, your favorite." stated the blue Chihuahua with a chuckle.

"Glad you remembered." replied the Livewire with an insincere smile.

"Of course, we're-"

"Brothers?" said Digit, finishing his sentence.

"Oh yes." answered Gear with a devilish smirk.

~Oh and the game is on.~

The waitress finished writing down their orders before looking at them again, a smile on her face. "Any dri-"

"Coffee, two spoons of sugar." replied Gear quickly, his gaze still locked with Digit's.

"Tired?" inquired Digit curiously.

"Of course not, just like the taste." answered Gear smartly with a smirk.

"Why the sugar?" deflected Digit immediately.

"I like it sweet." said Gear finally.

She then looked at Digit as she finished writing Gear's drink. "And y-"

"None for me." answered Digit before she could finish asking.

"Not thirsty?" asked Gear suddenly.

"No," answered Digit before withdrawing a can of his patent energy drink and placing it on the table. "brought my own." He then said with a cocky smirk.

"What's that?" asked Gear in a curious tone as he eyed the can.

"Energy drink." answered Digit with a chuckle.

"Tired?" inquired Gear in a mocking tone.

"No, excited." replied Digit with finality as the waitress took their orders.

"Great, you're food'll be with you soon." stated the waitress gladly as she left the two alone, the tension between the two obviously not catching her eyes.

Both of them then started to laugh quietly at the little scene they had put before suddenly stopping and continuing to glare at each other angrily. Gear kept his leaned back position with his arms crossed while Digit just placed one arm behind the back of his chair nonchalantly. Their brainpower combined would be able to dwarf the two tailed fox's in combat and maybe in rival Dr. Robotnik's as well if not destroy it completely. It had been a while since Digit had the time to test his mental capabilities with another intellectual like himself, but then again he rarely showed that side of him because of the ridicule he would receive from his friends.

After that little bout with each other though they knew they'd have to stop for now unless they wanted to catch the attention of innocent bystanders. So once again they put on the faces of friends and continued their conversation.

"Been a while since I've done that." admitted Gear openly, relaxing a bit at the nostalgia at having some sort of sibling argument.

"Same here." commented Digit with a snarky grin as they shared a small laugh with each other.

For once in many years there was a small connection between the two but it faded quickly as they remembered the situation they were in. It was like the feeling of brotherly bonding was totally foreign to them and that even trying to achieve this unity was some kind of heresy. To them the word 'brotherhood' was a word left for most trustworthy of allies instead of blood tied relatives.

"Sooooooooooooo…." trailed off Gear dully as he tried to come up with a topic that wasn't necessarily work related. The only thing that seemed to be buzzing about in his little blue head were questions about Digit's pursuit in gunsmithing and why he joined Nic and her gang of misfits and killers. No subtle questions of informality crossed his mind at all since all he wanted to know was the juicy, heart breaking truth.

"Any girlfriends?" asked Digit suddenly, interrupting Gear's train of thought.

"Let's not get that deep D." remarked Gear simply with a strained chuckle.

"I'll take that as a no then." said Digit with a snicker. "What about pay?" he then asked before Gear could make some sort of comment.

"Above average." shrugged Gear nonchalantly as he eased up a bit. "I've got a few condos and stuff, nothing too extravagant." he explained carelessly as his mind went back to the three nice looking condos he had purchased in different areas of the world. None of them were too extraordinary, but just too the point where people knew that a wealthy person lived there. "What about you? Do you uhhh, even get paid?" he then asked awkwardly since he wasn't too sure on Digit's situation.

"I can get anything I want, whenever I want." laughed Digit deviously, causing a disappointed snarl to appear on his brother's face. "I mean my specialty is computers, engineering and construction, there's nothing stopping me from just hacking into a store and ordering fifty HD TV's." he chuckled without a hint of remorse.

"There's me." stated Gear coldly.

Digit smirked at his brother. "You can try." he challenged playfully. "But I mean, not like I do it everyday, Nic keeps me in good health and is very good company." he then explained putting his hands up in mock surrender to ease his brother's aggression towards the hacking of security. "I make WMD's G, not sell stolen goods on the black market." He reassured.

A small growl escaped Gear's lips before backing off a bit. "Fine, I'll believe you for now." he replied between gritted teeth.

"Heh, good." replied Digit casually. "So this is probably a long shot, but have you heard from B?" he then asked a bit cautiously, knowing that the mention of his name was a bit of a sore spot for the two since he was the first to leave.

Gear snickered maliciously. "He could be at the bottom of a fiery pit for all I care." he stated coldly, the love for his older brother gone after so many years apart.

"I could say the same for you, but here I am now." commented Digit maliciously with a chuckle.

"Hey! I'm the one trying to save you from your friends!" yelled Gear suddenly as he slammed his fists against the table and stood; up his serious eyes deadlocked onto his brother.

"But I never asked to be saved." replied Digit coldly as he stood up slowly and matched his brother's deathly glare.

~He thinks he can save everyone he wants.~

Suddenly all eyes in the surrounding area were on them and silence fell upon them all. Mothers quieted their babies, fathers gathered their children, and the adolescents got their camera phones out to record the two in case they broke out into a violent fight. Both of them stared each other down with killer intent for what seemed like eternity, before evil little smirks cut right across their faces.

"We should get out of here." said Gear finally.

"I agree." replied Digit simply.

The two Reevers then gathered their things, pushed in their chairs and left just as the extremely enthusiastic feline waitress came to their empty table with their food in hand. She looked down at the table and then at the people around her who were still totally silent.

"What did I miss?" she then asked obliviously.

At the airbase

~Finally away from the distractions.~

After their little spat at the café, Digit and Gear finally decided to change venues to the airbase. The change wasn't totally random at all since weeks beforehand Digit had emailed his brother that he'd only meet him if it were on his terms. After that Digit had spent all the time preparing the field of engagement, but ever since then he wondered if his brother was planning some as well. Digit had scouted the airbase for any signs of recent G.U.N. activity and found nothing, leading the Livewire to believe that Gear was definitely meeting him unarmed. Digit knew that wasn't the case however since no matter how unlikely it seemed, he knew Gear would be bringing some sort of weapon because of one fact.

He was a Reever just like him,

And Reever's never back down from a fight.

~I'll admit, it's the whole 'small dog' complex, but hey, that's the only reason I need to mess with my brother.~

"So why an airbase?" asked Gear curiously as he walked into the hangar and found the table and chairs set up for them.

"Would you rather ask about serial murders, assassins and military espionage at a playground?" chuckled Digit simply as he took a seat in the normal foldout chair.

"Point taken." replied Gear as he took his seat right across from Digit. "So let's just get straight to it, why did you start killing people?" asked Gear seriously, the look on his face cold and judgmental.

Digit sat up in his seat and sighed. "Okay, before you get all wound up, they were bad people in the first place and didn't deserve to live, second of all, I had to vent." explained Digit in a half-hearted way. "Besides, you know mom, I thought that's why you joined G.U.N., to kill people to vent." he then shrugged carelessly.

Gear was about to respond before he cut himself off and thought about it. "Okay, so I did, but at least I didn't dissect people you freak!" accused Gear maliciously. "I read those reports and I don't give a damn whether he was some drug boss, that's no excuse to literally eviscerate someone!" he yelled at Digit, who seemed unchanged.

"I was going through a phase." He shrugged.

"A phase!" yelled Gear in a disbelieved and shocked tone as he stared at his brother who looked like he could care less.

~I'm really just doing this to piss him off.~

"A phase is when you sleep with a teddy bear or talk to an imaginary friend! This was murder! Plain and simple!" yelled Gear angrily. "On top of all that too you even killed mom!" he then added with a sense of sadness.

"Oh don't act like she didn't deserve it!" retorted Digit seriously with a deathly glare. "That woman was nothing but a cancer slowly leeching our lives away from us and I was the only one with enough balls to end her pathetic life!" he yelled maliciously, as if the memory of him killing his mother excited him. "We all hated her, hell, you hated her the most! So don't try giving me the whole guilt trip because that won't work." He growled.

The blue Chihuahua backed off a bit, knowing he couldn't argue with Digit on that since deep down he knew that he was right. The Reever brothers had a burning hatred for their mother that made their own sibling dispute look like nothing. It was amazing how well they coped with such an abusive past anyways but Digit had the creeping suspicion that his brothers, much like him, have tried to forget their childhood entirely. As their argument progressed however, they couldn't help but wander back to those crucial days.

A cold chill ran through the empty hangar as silence overcame them both. Memories slowly began to trickle into their brains as the realization that their mother was in fact dead hit them. Even after hearing the news of her death in the first place, they had just shrugged it off like she was some stranger. Now though, as they sat their throwing accusation and poisonous words at each other, they finally realized that the person that gave them life was gone.

That news however didn't really help the situation at all though since it only reinforced the fact that Digit had in fact killer his own mother.

"Even with everything she had done to us . . ." trailed off Gear a bit remorsefully. "she was our mother D, you can't go overlooking that. She was the one who brought us into this world, you don't just go out and take hers." said the blue Chihuahua as he looked up at Digit with sad eyes. "Look, I know our childhood was rough, and I know that Bruce and I abandoned you in your time of need but . . ." he trailed off again, trying to find the right words.

"You can't make me feel bad for her, so stop trying." snickered Digit simply, wishing to just end the whole conversation about their mother altogether.

"I know, I know, but when you think about it, she changed our lives for the better or for the worse." he explained, mournfully, as if he had found newfound love for his own mother. "If it wasn't for her none of us would've been driven to doing what we wanted to do the most in life and I think that's what matter the most here." he said before shaking it off. "Look D, I'm just trying to look out for you since you're my brother just come back with me and I'll take care of you." He then said.

"You don't understand!" yelled Digit suddenly with some newfound anger. "I don't want to be saved by you! And I sure as hell don't want to go with anyone working for G.U.N.!" he shouted.

"What? But D you're working for the bad guy here I-"

"I don't care! I've told you before I'm not being held captive and I haven't been brainwashed! I actually like the people I work with!" he explained angrily as he tried to push the information into his brother's thick skull. "You think you can save everyone don't you? You think that because you found your lost brother you can save him and atone for leaving him behind in the first place! You know what?" asked Digit as he leaned over the table and looked at his brother right in the eye. "I hate you just as much as I hate Bruce." He whispered evilly as a devilish smirk came across his face. "When you left 'mother', she found it necessary to punish me even more for no reason whatsoever!" explained Digit gleefully as he paraded around the hangar. "Oh the nights I spent curled up in the corner praying for my brothers to save me! But no!" he yelled as he turned to Gear and pointed at him.

"You just left me there to rot and die! Not a letter, or a visit, just POOF! GONE!" ranted Digit as his psyche began to unravel and devolve. "That's why I killed those people, I imagined they were you, Bruce, 'mom' and the many other fuck faces who I hate so much!" he yelled as he neared the table, his foot tapping the black leather suitcase he had brought with him. "Definitely, some of my victims were prostitutes, druggies, gangsters, police officers, doctors, nurses, priests, mafia members, I didn't give a flying fuck at the time!" said Digit as his mind recounted all their death throes. "Every time I remembered you or mom or Bruce I just had to kill and that's exactly what I did." He snickered.

"You monster…" trailed off Gear in disbelief, shocked at the sudden mental change in his younger brother.

"Oh yeah that's one of my names." laughed Digit as he continued on. "I kept on killing until Nic found me, she beat me and I surrendered, she hired me and I worked to my heart's content. For once I had found a friend, someone who enjoys killing as much as I do, but as time went on she mellowed me out . . ." he said with a content sigh as the insanity dimmed a bit at the thought of Nic. "Amazing what love can do for a man's sick and twisted mind," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" asked Gear, not catching the last part.

"But then just a few months ago your people capture me!" continued Digit suddenly, avoiding his brother's question completely as he remembered his encounter with Anesthesia. "It showed me how weak I've gotten working for Nic and what better way to remember than killing the very object of my hatred?" he then asked as he looked over at his brother with a wide, almost creepy grin.

"You mean you invited me here to k-"

"That's right!" said Digit before his body suddenly surged with green electricity.

Gear took a step back as the shocked look on his face slowly morphed into a cocky grin.

"I expected as much." He then said.

~I knew it.~

"I went over those murder reports and I knew that there was no way you'd ever be the same, especially after seeing mom's report." stated Gear as he took some slow cautious steps back away from Digit. "You didn't think I'd come here unprepared did you?" he asked snidely as he withdrew a small peculiar looking remote from his backpocket.

"I was expecting it really," shrugged Digit maniacally as he awaited eagerly for his brother to bring out whatever weapon he had brought with him. "so hurry up and bring out your toy already." He laughed.

"Heh no prob but it'll take a few seconds to get here." answered Gear as he pressed the button.

"A few seconds is all I need." smirked the Livewire before tossing the suitcase into the air with his foot and grabbing it by the handle.

Arcs of green electricity suddenly flared from Digit's hands into the case, causing it to glow and unfurl with the sound of tiny pistons. Four small holes opened up on both sides of the case as a thick massing of dark green gunk leaked out of it and spread across the Livewire's body. Gear was in total shock at the sight before inspecting it closely to realize what was really going on.

"Nanites." he murmured under his breath, shocked his little brother had found the time to replicate such tiny machines.

"That's right!" yelled Digit as the tiny dark green nanites coated his body and swirled around. "I studied a kid named Wrath who had them and tried my best to mimic them. The only problem was finding a power source." grinned the green Chihuahua as the nanites hardened into a durable coating of sleek shiny armor around his entire body, excluding his head. "Lucky for me I found the perfect kind," he snickered as two large tesla coil-like towers shot out of his back and glowed with power. "ME!" he yelled as a flat expressionless mask was drawn over his face with a pair of small slits glowing for eyes.

~Let's end this!~

The bottom of Digit's armor clad feet suddenly pulsed with energy before a stream of fire blew out of them, propelling the Chihuahua forward. Time seemed to slow down around the two as Digit cocked his hand back and let it radiate with green electricity. His armor clad body drew nearer and nearer to his brother's at a steady pace, but as he did so the warning signs flared up in his visor.

~What the-~

A trio of small rockets suddenly burst through the walls and charged right for Digit as Gear took shelter behind a large pillar. Each rocket suddenly rammed into the green chihuahua's armored body and as they did so, a wave of green electricity came over them as Digit tried to deactivate the warheads with his electrical powers. His attempts failed however and the small hangar was engulfed in neon green flames.

Digit's armor clad body was thrown brutally across the airstrip from the explosion but he quickly regained balance midair and landed on his feet. He was a good distance away from the fire but he was curious as to what Gear had hidden up his sleeve for the fight. A loud synthetic yet carnivorous roar pierced the air from within the fire and the Livewire analyzed it as a huge hulking mass of metal and machinery marched out of it. As it got closer and closer to him Digit began to realize that it was one of his brother's specialties and he smiled to relish the moment.

Standing in front of him, was a large Crisis Suit battle mech, the pinnacle of war machines and the bringer of destruction. It was a tall behemoth, able to dwarf small apartments in height, its chest thick and angular and large bipedal legs that left a giant footprint in the concrete with each step. Its arms were short and ended with finely crafted fingers while along its back were small wings and a thruster that propelled it into the skies. Where it's head should be though was an open cockpit with a slightly singed Gear sitting in it.

"You wanted this!" yelled Gear from his atop his creation before a thick plate of glass came down, sealing him inside of it.

Digit smiled behind his mask as he extended his hands outwards, welcoming any kind of attack.

"COME AT ME BRO!" he yelled joyously.

The Crisis Suit brought its hands forward as the fingers shifted into large rotating gun barrels before the sweet sound of gunfire filled the air.