(not romantic enuf :3 )

"Iris."

"Yes?"

"You shouldn't blame yourself for anything that's going to happen."

"...I really don't want to talk about my nightmares..."

"I will be there with you when you have them Iris. Those nightmares have got to stop."

"I trust you."

Iris serms to be thinking of somthimg "i might have a plan"

" what is it" noah asked with curiousity.

"Maybe...we can..disguise ourselves? I would be reconized..soo"

" you wont "the detective said " i have a friend who can disguise you really well"

Max looks at her, she dosnt look back.

"Alright.." iris said standing. "I need some water"

Max followed her. " iris...can we talk?"

"Sure max" she says shyly. She pours a cup of water

(Cue to romence ;) )

***

"Police are currently investigating a hospital massacre where hundreds of people were murdered. Among them, dear citizens and heroic police lost their lives..."

The TV blared with emergency news.

"Ah. So this is what's on the news..." Noah murmured.

A policewoman marched in.

"Hello gentlemen. I am Detective Constable Clare. I am here because you are all witnesses to the horrific massacre. In particular, a valuable witness named Julie is among you, along with the Superintendent's talented son who we have codenamed Max Styles. May I meet them please?"

Iris and Max emerged from the bedroom. The group had a meeting. The detective noted down all the events that had happened.

"Okay. This person you have described as Bob. Police have discovered that he is having a party in two days at his mansion located here." She pointed at a large building east of Emnopolis.

"A large number of guests are arriving, and the pass code is 'For The Kicks'. . I hope you will be there to assist in Bob's arrest. Plainclothes policemen will be at the scene to provide back-up if it is required"

"Yes I do love her. Yes I will stop you" Max appeared from the light in the crack.

"Max? Max!"

"Stop. That's not the real Max." Max appeared beside her, his ethereal body giving off earthly, human vibes.

"Watch carefully. I'll rip off the projected layer of skin." the ethereal Max said.

"Iris..." The angelic Max said "I..."

"Wait! the skin's transforming! I can't remove it!" ethereal Max cried out, sweating.

"...really can't forgive you...murdering your boyfriend..." angelic Max had transformed into a monster, his eyeballs popped out of their eye sockets, his smile demonstrated sharp knife-like teeth, his body became deformed.

"Look at Max...struggling to fight the nightmare." Bob's laugh echoed throughout the darkness.

Ethereal Max groaned as monster Max began to screech his last, parting words.

"You will kill me! Won't you! I will hate you forever!" monster Max gave a horrifying roar, fading away.

"Sorry Iris...I couldn't do it..." Max breathed.

Iris did not reply, her face was frozen in a look of horror and fright. It was the nightmare of nightmares.

"Come on. Lets go. " Max tried to drag Iris away from her nightmare.

"You won't kill me. Okay?" Max whispered to Iris. Shivering, Iris nodded unconsciously. Slowly they slipped away.

(the truth)

They arrived at the hideout. Iris begins to rest.

Max, worried about irirs, walks to noah "noah..is it true thatbiris...k-ki-"

"Kill me" he added " no...it was all an accadent. Did the clones tell you that?"

"Yes..the iris clone did"

Noah turns to jake"phase 3 out of 4....you should tell him the truth"

Jake nods and sits down "Her name is iris holms. When she was young....she had a rare heart condition that could make her deathly ill....thats why shes sensitive more..

She got sick when she was bullied badly in elementry school..she had to be homeschool

As a teen she...stumble upon a horrible pun. She was forced to be protected by the goverment"

"But the car crash happened" noah continued " iris didnt remember this but...after the crash..i was kidnapped....i was expirimented on...so i know bobs.plan"

"What....was his plan" max ask

Noah hesitates " he needs informatiom on the mask man identity..and he wants to see iris suffer by....fear nightmares...thats why he pretended to be a psycologist. He knew that iris will open up to a doctor on her feelings.. that why her dreams are getting worse and worse"

Max felt his anger rise.

"He....he wants to make her deathy ill again by her one fear...insecuruty...and hate"

Max figured it out" by the dreams!"

"Yes" noah says" her fear seems to strengthen the clones. If she can fight her inner deamons...she can weaken the clones..and stop buckteeth" he turns to max" thats where you come in...dreamer"
~~~~~~~~~~

Julia sees the dark. She felt lonly and afraid. Thats when she hears bobs voice laughing

" poor.little...iris. do you really think max loves you? Do you really think you can stop us?"

" it was....it was..." iris says looking away

" you did what you had to do...it was either hurting thatbgirl,or avoiding it"

Iris looks at him " so..your not upset?"

"Of corse not. Im proud of you"

"Huh?"

He smiles "you never gave up when you became paralize. You became braver. "

Iris shows a look of surprise as max and jake enter.

" iris!" Max said and hugs her bit iris backs away" iris its ne"

"How do i know your the real max?" She ask

Max thinks about it. He noticed the clone max " oh....the shaf. I let you down the shaf. And i gave you a gift a month ago. The emerald heart"

Iris smiles " you are the real max. Lets get our of here"

"I know a secreat hideout" jake offered
~~~~~~~~
"Curses" bob says at his office. He paced around the room and a idea came to him " i have no choice...the only way to break her..is to use my best clone" he pressed the button "bring me max clone, on phase 4"

he smirks, because ohase 4 is when a close and twist the human mind and taunts them on their deepest fear, and this max clone..is her fear

***
Minutes after the crash, Iris heard faint voices, the one in particular that was Bob's.

"Good job Iris. Good job. Download Noah's memories immediately before the body starts to rot."

***

As Iris remembered more, waves of guilt flooded her. The unstoppable tidal wave of tears.

Noah did not attack her. He had his commands changed. He could be himself now. He felt the urge to speak.

"It's all right Iris... it was not your fault."

***
*Months ago. A few minutes before the events of the car crash*

Noah and Iris were driving home from a party when a woman rushed onto the road.

"Noah! Don't crash into her!"

They swerved. Crashing into a tree.


***
*Now, in the room with Iris and robot Noah*

Iris paused.

"There's something that I've always wanted to say to you Noah...even if you're a robot..."

"What is it?"

"I've never meant to kill you," Iris broke down, sobbing.

"There's a secret Iris is hiding from you, Max" Iris continued slowly. "After all, I've been downloaded her memories."

Max shook his head. He could not believe Iris was hiding something from him.

"Yes Max. The deepest darkest secrets." Iris whispered aloud.

Max shivered.

"Want me to tell you? Max?" She smiled, and stared at him. Her eyes glowed red with her infrared scanner.

There was a silence.

"Remember her boyfriend Noah? She is the one who k-"

"Enough." Jake appeared, spearing the robot in the gut with his arm, but it was able to say its final words while it fizzled.

"-iiiiilllllleeedddd....... hiiimmmmm"

Max could not believe what was said. He took a step back.

"Is it true, Jake?"

"Noah will tell you himself. His command has been overridden and he is himself. We have to find them now."

***
Iris stared out the window and saw a scene that would have been from a nightmare. A massacre lay before her, the bodies of policemen and robots amidst a heap of crushed police cars and Buckteeth trucks. Bob robots stood amongst them, laughing.

"No way out, I'm afraid." Bob climbed up from the window.

Noah appeared, hiding right beside the window, holding a baseball bat. Just as Bob was about to enter, he was immediately knocked away from the building, his forehead dented, sparking wires protruding from his head.

The door broke apart and robotic Max burst in.

Noah ran at him, pushing him into the wall. Iris shrieked slightly as she saw Max's realistic feeble death throes. Noah turned back to her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes...Thank you, Noah."

meanwhile, iris was worried

the power suddenly turned off, she wanted to call him desperately, but decided to not be noticed.

she looks around the room, there was some unused scalpels and syringes in the 1st floor storage room. she took the scalpel, just in case.

she heard a voice "iris! help me..please..." it was max, hes somewhere in the room. it felt so real because of his usual gentle tone

she walked near the sound.

she heard max cry in pain "iris..are you there?

"y-yes...i'm coming" she said

she found max. he was hurt and injured.

"iris!" he hugs her. she didnt hug back, something is not right

he lets go "oh my god "he said softly as he touch her cheek "what happened to your cheeks?"

she shivers, the real max knows what happed....which means..

" i...was attack max" she lied "I'll find a band aid right now"

no" he got closer "stay with me...please"

" i will...i promise..but the pain-" he grabbed her hand, and look straight at her eye. it gave her chills, because she knows that this is a evil max

" poor iris.." he whispered "let me heal you" that's when she notice a sharp tip in his other hand. , her adrenaline rushed in and suddenly, she jabbed the scalpel on his eyes.

he let go and she ran as the clone max follows her. she pushes some items at his way, slowing him down

" come back here you brat! you cant escaped us" the clone max said coldly "the real max cant save you now "

"she sees a room and slams the door. she barricades it.

a light shinning from the window, a way out but he heard max's voice

"give up iris" she shivers "max is trapped with the complete iris"

iris was stuck between saving max, or escaping. the door started to slowly break.

She unties him " are you okay max?"

He nods and stares at the bruise on her cheeks. He touched it. But she winced.

"I'll be okay max...." she said slowly " we have to get out of here. " she lends a hand. He takes it and they went out of tye room.

Max sees a clone exited another room. "I know a way out" he whispered and pead iris to storage room.

" a elevator?" She asked

" shaft actally" than he got worried " can you walk?"

"I uh..actally can. But i have to take small steps"

Max opens the shaft "you go first ok? When your down there, knock"

Iris enters the shaft "ready"
He bressed the down button and iris begins to decent. She hears the arrival and movements. Than a knock

He was about to enter when the power went out.

He heard movement outside the door. He hid in the corner away from the door

The door entered. A clone entered. It was iris, now shes stading and seems to have a sinister look on her robotic eyes.

" come out max...i know your in here" she said sweetly

"Ah, perfect. Iris come over here, Max is going to see you get hurt. Even though you are a robot, the image of Iris getting hurt will never fade from his mind."

Iris paused. Max realised something. Iris was sweating. Do robots sweat? He realised it was the real Iris.

"...Yes master."

As soon as Iris was in range, Bob sent a powerful slap across her face. She screamed as she fell.

Bob laughed, "these robots are so realistic."

A bruise was growing on Iris' cheek as Max stared in horror.

"Enough." a voice was heard.

A blade pierced Bob's chest, and he crumpled.

"Soon Max, the real Iris will suffer like this." he smirked before powering out.

"M-max. I'm glad you're safe." Iris reached out to Max. Max noticed the bruise had become a shade of purple.

" i..." max hesitated as itis keeps looking at him

" please..." she said closing her eyes

Max tought about what to do. " alright iris.." he slowly leans in while his other hand reaches to the glass of water at the table. He pushed it at iris. The water caused her to malfunction, she lets go and fell

He breath a sigh of releif and runs to the door. But when he opened it. He was face to face with robot bob

" well well..your not at foolish as i tought." He grabs him " that was only the first edition. A new one is coming to finish you off"
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iris arrived at the new hospital. She froze, because she sees a robot excatly like her. Than an idea popped up "pst...this you can unwire her?"

"It looks like a early verson. If course, what is your plan?"

"If buckteeth can make clones. Than i can act like them"

" i like your thinking. Alright. I will do that" he whispered

Iris took some deep breaths before aproaching the hospital.
~~~~~~~~~

Bob tied him up "heres the think max, i need information about this masked men, and iris is the closed person to know him. She would've been taken by now"

"No....dont hurt her you..." max moaned

Bob smirks and revials his metal sharp teeth

"Master...." the real iris enters acting like his clone

"Yes. Buckteeth has kidnapped Max." he whispered.

"...You're not being yourself Noah..." Iris realised.

"Ah...well I-" Noah suddenly lunged at Iris, a dagger in his hand. Iris gave a shrill scream and fell.

Before the dagger reached its target, the robot froze and collapsed, its head was cut off from the body.

"Max is in danger. He is in New Emnopolis hospital." the warm, familiar presence crept in the shadows beside her, who was shining in the ray of light.

"Lets hurry! Are police there?"

"Yes, they've surrounded the building"

"That robot was so fake." Iris stated as she wheeled away from the supermarket.

"That was an incomplete version. If they'd captured me, it would be much deadlier."

The head of the robot Noah opened its eyes. Slowly it made its way toward its decapitated body.

***

"Iris?" Max began sweating.

"Kiss me." Iris pouted.

It felt so real, yet so fake. Max began to pull away when he realised Iris had an iron grip.

Iris looked hurt, "Why won't you kiss me?"

In the buckteeth lab. Bob types in his computer. A scientist entered "sir, the clones have been compleated"

"Show them in!" He comanded

The two clones enter. One look like irirs, while the other looks like noah

" what is your name?" He tested the iris clone

" my name is iris...." the clone iris said in a sickly sweet voice

"And whats your mission?"

Clone iris shows a grim " to destroy max"

"Excellent "

"Ane i will lure iris and convince her that i am "alive" " clone noah said Coldly " i will bring her to you so she can watch her precious max died at your hands"

"Ecellent....noah..i want you to use her to find the masked mens identity. Do any means nessesary"

Clone noah grims "yes master"
~~~~~~~~~~
It has been 2 months since the event at the hospital. Iris and max were bonding more and more. She told him that she was going to tell the whole truth today.

Max returned ftom work and sees iris in the wheel chair" iris! I didnt see you there"

"Im sorry" she spoke. Max looks at him. She had an odd feeling that somthing isnt right.

She gets closer " i need to tell you somthing" she grabs his hands and looks into his eyes. But her hands feel cold " i love you max"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The real iris brought some flowers from the supermaket. She was excited to finally tell the truth and walk. Well baby walks. Shes talking a program to unparalize legs. Itvwould take 6 months to a year in order to compleatly walk

She heard a soft voice " iris....y-your alive" she turns around and froze
"N-noah!?"

Max woke up, sweating and breathing heavily. Iris was asleep on her wheelchair beside him.

"So you're awake... dreamer." Noah whispered from the shadows. "What was your dream?"

Max recounted the terrifying nightmare.

"Ah. It seems Buckteeth is beginning to make their move" Noah murmered. Max had heard of the name Buckteeth before. It was the company that had invented Artificial Intelligence.

"Thank you for the warning. You have saved my life." Noah whispered. "Be careful. Metallic remains were found at the scene of the explosion. This means Bob's still out there and the explosion was caused by a fake Bob. Rest more, dreamer. Your have saved lives."

There was no sound, but Max felt his presence disappear. He fell asleep.

***

In the darkness, Max heard enchanting, melodic singing and reached out.

He found himself in the auditorium, but he was faced with two Irises. He frowned and did not clap as they finished singing.

Hurt, they inquired,

"Max? I hope you liked my singing..."

"Do you like my singing Max?"

"You have to choose..." a voice echoed throughout the empty dark auditorium. Max thought hard between the two Irises

"I...I can't decide..." Max replied, still indecisive.

"Well, you don't have to now. But you WILL have to choose." Bob appeared, a malicious grin on his face and began to laugh. He walked towards him as more Bobs materialised from the darkness of auditiorium, flashing their sharp pointed teeth and surrounding him.

"H-help! Max!" One of the Irises stretched out her hand for him, while the other did not, the glint of sharp teeth becoming more and more apparent as she too, began to grin.

"Iris!" Max yelled and ran towards her. The Bobs blocked his way, closing around him and crushing him.

A hand clad in black appeared above him in his fading, blurring vision.

"Take my hand. You have to get out of here," Noah whispered.

Just before he fell unconscious, his outstretched arms brushed the tips of Noah's fingers. He felt a sense of lightness and heard a fading remark.

"It's not over... Max"

Max did not know who's voice that was, but he had a growing fear it was his own.

***

she can smell the posion close to her mother, so she crawls to her mother. carries her..than, she stands

"Comon iris, dont let your legs stop you you can do it" she said to herself. She took a step twords the window, bits of pain fired up. "Ow!"

Her father and max started coughing

She cotininue to walk to the window and see a the grass


Iris drops her mother to the free fall pad and goes to her father next. The pain was getting worse but she drops him as well

Max started to get worse. But her legs are getting worse as well "i have to" she said to herself. She walks to max and carries him "ugh! Hes heavy!" He put him down and drags him to the window. Her heart races and her vision starts to get blurry. She carries him and drops him.

Than she collasp "no! " she now has a headach. She grabs the edge of the window, and with all of her might, crawled, she let herself fall near the others.

" maim are you ok?" The firefighter said to her. But she just pointed to the others, letting them ignore her leg pain

" we did it big brother " she says to herself" we saved them"

Max took a deep breath as he digested all of this information. Composing himself, he entered the room.

He smiled just before he spoke

"Here are your chic-"

An ear-shattering explosion devoured the peaceful atmosphere and calm in a matter of seconds.

"Down, down!"

Everyone lay on the ground as the building shook, the windows shattering. Screams echoed throughout the building.

They all lay, breathing heavily.

The silence was deafening.

The door burst open and men came in armed with rifles. Bob finally walked in.

He smirked, "Ah. I thought this area would be much more heavily guarded."

An almost inaudible voice replied behind all of them, "It is."

Immediately, Bob and his goons turned around.

"Who's there?" Bob yelled, his face a shade of beetroot with veins popping.

In response, Bob's goons dropped like flies.

"...Masked man" Bob murmered, then a malicious grin spread across his face as he pressed a red button on his forehead.

He exploded, spreading poisonous gas that, fortunately, spreaded very slowly.

However they all inhaled it, falling unconscious within 2 seconds.

***

"Hey, wake up." Jake whispered

Iris woke up, shocked that they had not died from the poison.

"You're much more immune to it now. The poison already tried to kill you last time. You woke up a minute after the explosion. We have to get everyone out. Fast. Get the parents and the nurse over to the window. There are firefighters waiting below. I'll get the people in the other rooms."

Jake disappeared into the shadows. She heard him get to work, the bodies falling like rain onto the soft landing below.

Iris nodded and took a deep breath. It was time to get Max and her mother and father out.

"You...love him nora?" her father said

Iris...or nora if that was her name nods "hes different....he was always there when i had nightmares about him...hes helping me move on. I want to tell him the truth..but im scared that bob would hurt him"

Her father thinks "what does your heart tell you?"

"To protect max..to stop bob...to..tell max the truth"

Her mother spoke up" nora it isnt safe! You almost died again.."

"I rather do so thing than sit here while hes out there doing who knows what" she looks at them "i wanna be a hero, just like jake...the masked man"

Her mother was surprised " how did you-"

"The mark on the back of his neck" she smiles "when can i see my brother again?"

"Soon sweerty" her father said.

Iris sees the look of concern on max's eyes. She sighns "alright max. I'll rest. But im hungry"

"II'll get you food " max said "what would you like?"

" chicken strips please "

~~~~~~~

Max orders the chicken strips. He walks back to the room when he hears iris spoke in the room" dad...i...i think i have a crush on max"

Max stopped smiling.

"The murderer is still out there...but your health and safety comes first."


Iris began to speak "B-but we have to-"

Max interrupted, "No! We have to let you rest first!"

Iris turns to max and reach out to hug him "what about you? What happened to you?"

Max returns to hug and tells his story " when i saw you collasp. I...i wanted to save you, so i went the grinder" iris rosed her eyes "i got cut at times. But i made it out . I escaped to rushed to you, you looked pale. Thats when the police came with this masked man"

"While you were in a coma, mr max took care of you" her mother told her. She hold her hand " a week ago you were screaming and the heart moniter beat. We were scared"

" i was afraid that the antidote didnt work. You were yelling for help so i....i tried to talk to you..." max said a bit embarresed " after i talked to you, you calmed you. The heart monitor went back to normal"

"Thanks to you..." iris says looking into his eyes " you and the masked man saved my life. And i owe you two one"

Max blushes.

Than iris frown" what about bob? Is he still out there!?"

"Police had surrounded the compound but Bob and his goons had already departed...They found you with a special poison in your veins... A poison that would have killed you if your saviour, a masked man clad in black, did not bring you the antidote immediately."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"One month. Exactly as your rescuer predicted."

"Oh my god, what happened when I was gone?"

"Well, the invention of Artificial Intelligence by a company called Buckteeth. 3 days ago. But what's more important is that you get healthy again."

Iris spotted Max and made her way to the slaughterhouse door.

Half-way, she gasped and froze, collapsing upon her wheelchair. She began shivering and she fell unconscious. Max widened his eyes in shock.

"HELP. SOMEONE HELP."

***

Iris found herself floating in the darkness. She was drifting, upwards. Noah's hand was beckoning from above. "Come, Iris let us be together."


A few minutes passed before a voice spoke out from below. "Come back! We have to stop the murders!" a white, surreal hand appeared below her.

Iris thought about Bob and Noah's death at his hand, and about him being free to commit more murders. She chose the transparent hand.

"Sorry Noah. I have to avenge your death." Iris whispered to the above. She attempted to swim downwards, but found herself being carried by a green platform that had materialised below her.

"Yes Iris, come closer" Noah's hand beckoned, the voice changing to Bob's, "Come closer to death."

"N-no! Help!" Iris cried out.

The transparent hand reached out, grabbing the platform and pulling it downwards. It changed colour, to a colour of solid black.

"Fight back!" the voice from below roared, "Push down!"

Iris pushed with all her might and felt herself finally fall.

***

Iris heard the continual beeps of a machine beside her, counting her heartbeats. She opened her eyes, finding herself in the hospital room. She recognised her mother and father, both sobbing with relief, sitting beside the wall.

"I'm glad! Oh I'm so glad!" her mother cried out as they both embraced her tightly.

The door opened and Max came in.

"Nurse I'm glad you came! She has woken up!" her dad expressed his gratitude through fervent shaking of hands.

"I'm glad too" Max smiled, his face a mess of cuts and bruises.

"What happened?" Iris asked.