Introduction
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|| ǪƝƇɆ ŲƤǪƝ Ą ƬĮⱮɆ ||
Earth's introduction progressed as primitive, humble even. Its beginnings were of grass and dirt, trees slowly blossoming to reach the sky. Animals grew to magnanimous lengths and humans, being as ambitious as they were, lived in caves. When man gained a taste for meat, they hunted, forming packs to take down beasts much larger than themselves. Animals evolved, becoming smarter; humans did too. Soon, forests were cleared, houses were built, humans acknowledged one another and realized their differences. They fought over these small discrepancies with wars and armadas, sacrificing their own to gain wealth, power, and privilege over others. When land ran out, they built ships to sail across the tumultuous sea to expand their reaches.
But it was never enough.
Skyscrapers popped up, one after the other. Made of gleaming metal and glass, they spiraled higher than the clouds. Wars were at last settled, debts repaid, humanity began an era of peace. They flourished together, realizing that their arguments were silly, that their spats were fruitless, and so, together, they worked towards advancing themselves as a better society. With no more war, they put their minds together to cure common ailments, eradicating the cold, fixing fevers with simple patches, even making genome sequencing to get rid of the genetic risk of having an imperfect child. It could not detect everything, such as disabilities that could be brought on later in life by accident, injury, or even undetermined factors that could never be controlled, but the world, for the most part, was harmonious.
Where there is free will, there will always be trouble.
|| Å ⱮǪƝŞƬȨⱤ ||
What if the body could be trapped at the perfect age? What if one no longer had to worry about their health? What if humans could live in a pristine body that never died? It would disrupt the cycle of life itself and perhaps put the fate of humanity in a terrible imbalance. Highly illegal experimentation, a company called GENOS began asking for volunteers. Those who were at their end stages of life, willing to donate themselves towards research for what they claimed to be a better future. They would pay well, they promised, to any and all who could gather in the belly of their building and subject themselves to the experiments. They told all it was for the betterment of the future, they claimed that they wanted to freeze humanity at it's prime.
They lied.
It was never enough.
Wanting to take the program further, Dr. Grover wanted to detach the memories from the souls, creating a blank slate, usable for just about anything. She saw herself as a deity, creating life, building bodies, constructing art. It was only when Dr. Grover recruited a twin that she had crossed the line, unwittingly stealing the body of the second to turn into one of her pretty dolls.
Project || Name || Age || Gender || Code Name || Unit Type || Face Claim || Played by:
Project Faye || Io Fuyumi|| ?? || Female || Fina || Stealth Unit || Mumei || Played by: Spiderlily
Project Xena || Callisto Fuyumi || ?? || Female || Lita || Idol Unit || Aine Yuuki || Played by: The_Queen
Project Pro || Jacelyn Pacer || 20ish || Female || Jace || Combat Unit || Jack the Ripper || NPC
Human || Azariah Reiss|| 28 || Female || The Shepard || Human || Seitenshi || NPC
Human || Dane Tyrell || 17 || Male || Human || Sheep || Nice || Played by:NPC
Human || Minnie Reiss || 15 || Femle || Human || Rival Idol || Meiko Honma || Played by: NPC
Project Serve || Shane Welton || 19ish || Male || Jarvis || Servatory || Horikawa Kunihiro || Played by: NPC
Project Faye || ?? || Estimated 20 || Male || Black Jack || Stealth || Hei || Played by: NPC
Human || Metis Fuyumi || 25 || Male || Big Brother || Human || Yogi || Played by: NPC
Project Javelin || Firis || 24 || Female || Sneaky Sneak || Stealth || Ami Kawashima || Played by: NPC
Project Hornet || Viren || 23 || Male || Evil || Mechanic|| Kido Tsuborni || Played by: NPC
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|| ǪƝƇɆ ŲƤǪƝ Ą ƬĮⱮɆ ||
Earth's introduction progressed as primitive, humble even. Its beginnings were of grass and dirt, trees slowly blossoming to reach the sky. Animals grew to magnanimous lengths and humans, being as ambitious as they were, lived in caves. When man gained a taste for meat, they hunted, forming packs to take down beasts much larger than themselves. Animals evolved, becoming smarter; humans did too. Soon, forests were cleared, houses were built, humans acknowledged one another and realized their differences. They fought over these small discrepancies with wars and armadas, sacrificing their own to gain wealth, power, and privilege over others. When land ran out, they built ships to sail across the tumultuous sea to expand their reaches.
But it was never enough.
Skyscrapers popped up, one after the other. Made of gleaming metal and glass, they spiraled higher than the clouds. Wars were at last settled, debts repaid, humanity began an era of peace. They flourished together, realizing that their arguments were silly, that their spats were fruitless, and so, together, they worked towards advancing themselves as a better society. With no more war, they put their minds together to cure common ailments, eradicating the cold, fixing fevers with simple patches, even making genome sequencing to get rid of the genetic risk of having an imperfect child. It could not detect everything, such as disabilities that could be brought on later in life by accident, injury, or even undetermined factors that could never be controlled, but the world, for the most part, was harmonious.
Where there is free will, there will always be trouble.
|| Å ⱮǪƝŞƬȨⱤ ||
What if the body could be trapped at the perfect age? What if one no longer had to worry about their health? What if humans could live in a pristine body that never died? It would disrupt the cycle of life itself and perhaps put the fate of humanity in a terrible imbalance. Highly illegal experimentation, a company called GENOS began asking for volunteers. Those who were at their end stages of life, willing to donate themselves towards research for what they claimed to be a better future. They would pay well, they promised, to any and all who could gather in the belly of their building and subject themselves to the experiments. They told all it was for the betterment of the future, they claimed that they wanted to freeze humanity at it's prime.
They lied.
It was never enough.
Wanting to take the program further, Dr. Grover wanted to detach the memories from the souls, creating a blank slate, usable for just about anything. She saw herself as a deity, creating life, building bodies, constructing art. It was only when Dr. Grover recruited a twin that she had crossed the line, unwittingly stealing the body of the second to turn into one of her pretty dolls.
Project || Name || Age || Gender || Code Name || Unit Type || Face Claim || Played by:
Project Faye || Io Fuyumi|| ?? || Female || Fina || Stealth Unit || Mumei || Played by: Spiderlily
Project Xena || Callisto Fuyumi || ?? || Female || Lita || Idol Unit || Aine Yuuki || Played by: The_Queen
Project Pro || Jacelyn Pacer || 20ish || Female || Jace || Combat Unit || Jack the Ripper || NPC
Human || Azariah Reiss|| 28 || Female || The Shepard || Human || Seitenshi || NPC
Human || Dane Tyrell || 17 || Male || Human || Sheep || Nice || Played by:NPC
Human || Minnie Reiss || 15 || Femle || Human || Rival Idol || Meiko Honma || Played by: NPC
Project Serve || Shane Welton || 19ish || Male || Jarvis || Servatory || Horikawa Kunihiro || Played by: NPC
Project Faye || ?? || Estimated 20 || Male || Black Jack || Stealth || Hei || Played by: NPC
Human || Metis Fuyumi || 25 || Male || Big Brother || Human || Yogi || Played by: NPC
Project Javelin || Firis || 24 || Female || Sneaky Sneak || Stealth || Ami Kawashima || Played by: NPC
Project Hornet || Viren || 23 || Male || Evil || Mechanic|| Kido Tsuborni || Played by: NPC
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 6 authors
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Jace grinned, "I thought you'd never ask!" Her eyes flashed dangerously as the cage shorted out, allowing her to escape. Protect one human without killing the other, that was easy enough. It would be doing this all with Black Jack in the way that would be the real issue. Regardless, Jace sprung to her feet, leaping through the open door and towards her enemy. She zapped him with an electrical charge, not enough to hurt, but enough to warn him to stop. She kicked the syringe out of his hand, her programming allowing her to protect a human against another. It also alerted the authorities, the shortage enough for the outgoing call to give at least Jarvis a location. No doubt by now he had locked onto them and would be sending back up.
"You're done," Jace grinned, lifting Minnie up and landing a blow to the side that made him tumble backwards into the table. If Black Jack had any protest, he didn't show it. "Any minute now, the authorities will arrive and then you'll really be toast." The music was finishing up, it seemed that Lita's concert was at a close. Jace had heard these songs dozens of times, but as Lita's most recent number, one about hope in a dark situation, came over the speakers from Fina's body, it seemed right. Serving justice and taking names, Jace kind of liked the sound of that. "If there truly are humans inside of us, then our feelings are just as valid." Jace said to Black Jack as she inched back towards the cage in order to retrieve Fina's body.
In the meanwhile, Lita had finished her last set and was being shuffled off stage while the crowd screamed for an encore. There would be none of that tonight, not with the situation at hand. Lita understood the risks and consequences of appeasing her fans of course, she needed to return to where it was safe, as boring as that was. "Marvelous," her stage manager said, beaming as Lita returned, her skin shiny, still glimmering from the disco dust that had been powdered on midway to make it almost look as though she were sweating. "Did you like it?" Lita beamed, cocking her head to the side cutely as her little hat was unfastened from the top of her head. "I did, you were great! I can't wait to tell the boss!"
"Lita!" Jarvis called, grabbing her by the crook of the elbow. "No time for fraternizing, I'm afraid, we must be on our way." Lita nodded, she didn't truly understand the complexities of the situation, but she did realize that Jarvis was anxious to leave for whatever reason. "I've locked on to their location," he said under his breath. "Really?" For an android, Lita sure could emulate human emotions well. Her face looked so hopeful, as though she were whole heartedly worried about Fina, Jace, and Minnie.
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❝Take a breath, a leap of faith to the deep unknown.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
The car door was already open and ready. "C'mon in, the Rescue Ranger's ready for action!" Dane sported his grin as Jarvis and Lita approached, the concert at it's close now. "That's quite the abhorrent name. Can I refuse to enter based on my sense of pride?" Jarvis queried despite entering the car. It was armored, ready to withstand an impact. The signal was being transmitted, Jarvis had the location and Dane's job as the driver was to take them to where they needed to be. "I dunno, I like it." The bandaged sheep said, kicking the door shut and hopping in. He pressed a button, revving the engine. "Lady Reiss, it's time. We'll save Minnie and Fina and Jace too!" Lady Reiss's cool calm voice on the other end seemed quite pleased.
"Good, sweet Dane, I knew I could believe in you. Go and save them, I'd say it's about time." The car's engine screamed as it flew up into the air, hover jets blazing as the vehicle streaked through the sky. Violating traffic laws was easy, evading the Autocops was easy too with Jarvis signal jamming them with his supportive technology additions. "You were pretty good. Really super good, Lita." Dane praised the Idol Unit as they drove through the city with a single destination in mind - the Wisteria Library, underneath it was where their friends were being held captive. "Aren't you supposed to be a Minnie fan due to your allegiance?" Jarvis questioned, the snide in his voice clear. "I like them both!" Dane defended himself, speeding up the hovercraft.
Under the Wisteria Library Minnie was curled up as the syringe was shattered, Jace having come to the rescue. Black Jack was stunned and temporarily shorted out by the electric attack by Jace, and now the Combat Unit was finishing everything up now. "Jace... thank you." Minnie's eyes watered as she scrambled for the medicine, she couldn't pass out now. "But what now? Dr. Grover's on the way, isn't she?" No doubt the android doctor knew where she was and would be glad to take another victim to turn into an android.
That was when they heard a huge bang, the ceiling bursting open. Minnie covered her arms with her hands as rubble fell about. "Minerva Reiss!" Roderick screamed, trying to grab at her arm but Jace wasn't going to let him touch her again. She kept a protective hold of Fina, eyes firm. "Don't you hate your mother, too?" Minnie grit her teeth, glaring him down. "I hate anyone who tries to use me! Both you and mom are terrible! Get out of my life!" Black Jack looked torn, as if unsure if he was able to continue the fight. Jace's words must have struck a chord.
A hovercraft's door opened up, a rope lowered. "Hurry up and get in if you wish to escape before Dr. Grover arrives." Jarvis sneered, the loud hum of the vehicle nearly overtaking everything. It seemed this chapter was just about over, one last stretch before safety.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Lita was not to go on the rescue mission of course, something like that was far too risky. Her composition was much too fragile should a fight break out or the helicopter crash. Instead, she was confined to her apartment, which was guarded on all sides. Not that Lita minded, it gave her plenty of time to fret about her creative liberties. She was determined to finish articulating her next song, with or without Callisto's help. It would be much easier if you didn't insist on limiting your vocabulary to simplistic words. Callisto nagged in the back of her mind, overlooking the sheet on the holo screen before her. Lita leaned a hand on her cheek, glancing out the window that was kept locked for safety's sake. "I have to," Lita sighed with a shake of her head, pink hair dancing. "If it's too complex, it won't be catchy and the fans won't want to sing along."
On the other side of the city, Jace slung Fina over her shoulder and grabbed onto Minnie, shielding her from Black Jack and Roderick. With her free arm, Jace leaped onto the ladder, allowing the mechanics to kick in and pull her up automatically. She was excited to get out of this hell hole and return to her charge. Even if it was programmed, even if the feelings were false. "Black Jack!" Jace called from the helicopter, "You should leave that dirt bag and come work for me!" The helicopter began flying away, the blades kicking up dust and circulating the air in order to take them back to the sheep's herd. Lady Reiss may not have been the best person, but she was certainly better than this scum bag. "You made the right decision," Jace said as she placed Minnie back on her feet and plugged Fina into a portable charger. It should give her enough juice to restart, but it wouldn't charge her completely.
"Being an android might seem like fun and games," Jace started, "but it's not. We need to charge, we don't have limitless energy like humans do. We have to have upgrades and maintenance done and even though you might look up to Lita and see her sparkle, you don't see how much shining that takes." Who was this android? Lecturing a little girl? "What I'm trying to say is, keep your human body." Jace slumped down in a chair, she too, needed to charge, but she could wait until she returned to their apartment and hopefully back to Tower Records, if Lady Reiss kept her end of the deal up now that the danger had passed.
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❝Take a breath, a leap of faith to the deep unknown.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
The Stealth Unit, the male one, put the mask back on once all was said and done, his Master defeated. In the end he hadn't been able to do anything about Jace, nor was he able to fulfil anything on his own. Black Jack seemed almost miserable when Jace called out to him, an android burdened with whatever memories he might have had when he was still human. "I don't have a place to belong." He said quietly, shuffling his feet. "I'm just a sad robot." Minnie, whose pain was slowly subsiding thanks to the white pill she had taken, looked at him, eyes clear. "The Flock is full of people who don't belong, so come join us." But still the masked android was hesitating. Jarvis then jumped out and grabbed him, climbing the ladder back to the aircraft, making the choice for him.
Two eyes opened up revealing the optical sensors behind them. Clear copper eyes peered out, scanning the area about her. This wasn't the same place as before, this was somewhere different now. It felt as if they were in the air, Fina wasn't sure what was going on. Dane was driving... Minnie was safe. Jace was here too, as well as - "Enemy! I'll defeat him!" She mounted her back railgun and readied it to fire until Minnie grabbed her and shook her head. "No, it's okay, he's a sheep now, he's a part of the Flock now." The requiem angel with her heart that was too big, why was she so forgiving? "But he hurt you, he's an enemy." Fina protested, feeling miffed. Wasn't one stealth unit all that Lady Reiss needed?
But then the Stealth Unit saw it sparkling in Minnie's eyes. It was as if she was having an amazing dream, a dream that Fina herself could not see. She was back to the way she used to be, her inspiration and will to fight back within her. "You're okay now?" Fina asked, very quietly. Dane's eyes, full of care, seemed to flash in the mirror as if he was giving them a quick check over. Was he smiling over there in the pilot's seat? "Yeah, I'm okay now." Minnie reassured her, patting her on the arm. "Jace and Lita and everyone else saved me. I hope I can repay the favor one day."
Fina felt embittered. She knew that she shouldn't, but even so that didn't change the fact that she wasn't able to save Minnie when everyone else played their role. In the end she was useless, wasn't she? "Think like that and you'll never change." Io scoffed from inside her mainframe. "Just be thankful, Fina. Minnie's safe, isn't that what's most important?" Fina nodded, there was logic to that. So she decided to give Minnie a hug. Robots weren't meant to cry, but it seemed Fina was going to break that rule today as her arms wrapped around Minnie's tiny form.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Lita was hungry, all of this creativity stuff made her want a snack. She rose to check on their food stores, but since the other androids hadn't been upgraded yet, they didn't seem to keep a stash of snacks on hand. They only thing they had were Jace's chocolate puddings, which Lita wasn't all that impartial to. She sighed and turned to the door, knowing that there was no way out considering all of the entry and exit points were locked. Maybe Lita could employ someone to bring the snacks to her? The android sidled up to the guard next to the door, blinking her eyes innocently. "Excuse me Sir, would you mind running to the convenience store for me?" Lita inquired with doe-like innocence. He made a grunting sound and crossed his arms. "No can do little lady, Boss's orders are to stay here and guard the door." Lita sighed and flopped back onto the couch, "But I'm so hungry!"
"You're an android, aren't you? Just plug in. Doesn't that work the same way?" Lita sighed, it seemed she would have to resign to those methods. She dragged herself back to her room and to her special charging port, uncoiling the wire and glancing out at the ever darkening sky. You're worried about them, aren't you? Callisto asked as Lita moved deliberately, plugging the wire into the wall and laying down on the bed. "No," Lita replied, "I'm just wondering if Jace will bring me snacks." After all, Lita didn't have emotions like fear and anxiety. Callisto laughed, then fell silent. Lita couldn't help but wonder if she could worry, because worrying meant that you feared something. Did she fear anything? Her robotic mind told her that no, she did not. A small nagging voice in the back of her mind wondered if she had contracted another virus.
The door knob jiggled a few hours later. Lita pried her eyes open, coming out of power save mode to see who it was. "Lita?" A familiar gray haired android popped inside, grinning from ear to ear and holding up a snack bag from the local convenience store. "Jace!" Lita sang, the wire popping out of her neck as she ran to hug her combat unit. "Whoa, touchy, are we?" Jace grinned. "Where are Fina and Jarvis? Are they alright?" Lita inquired as she pulled back. "Fina is with Minnie and Jarvis, that shit eating android, went right back to Reiss with a new recruit." So it was just them in the apartment? "Lita, how long have you known?" Lita tilted her head to the side. "Known what?" Jace shook her head, gray hair flying. "Nothing, let's eat!" They dined on instant noodles, chips, and snack cakes, before Lita went back into power save mode, stuffed to the gills.
"You're lying, aren't you?" Jace asked quietly so as not to wake Lita up. "I can hear you talking to someone dummy and it isn't me." And Lita had no private channel, she wasn't allowed to do such things anymore, for security purposes. Except with Jace of course, they had their own contact channel. "Just who is this Callisto?"
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❝Take a breath, a leap of faith to the deep unknown.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
The official story was that Minnie Reiss was taking time to rest and recover from the kidnapping, which of course brought on a news anchor moment where they tried to tell other idols to take care because of the risk of abduction. No one knew what happened to Roderick Heterach, he vanished after the destruction of the library and no matter what they tried, Black Jack wouldn't tell them where he might have gone. "It's against my programming." He told Lady Reiss quite a few times. "I'm sorry I can't be more help." For the time being he was placed on Minnie protection duty alongside Fina, both of them working in tandem to keep her safe. How odd it was that this would happen, Minnie's kidnapper becoming an ally of sorts. Among the children at the Flock, the new android's involvement in Minnie's disappearance would be kept a secret.
"You always look at her all moony-eyed." Black Jack told her with a frown as they watched Minnie at work. At Dazzle Dream, the agency that had taken up a contract with Minnie to work with Charles Palladion for an album, the two androids were watching over her from outside. In truth Minnie refused to take much of a break. Lady Reiss insisted that she have a week off but already after three days Minnie insisted on sneaking out to get to work on her song, 'Requiem', which was supposed to speak to the hearts of people who see themselves as weak and useless. "Isn't it meaningless? We can't be human anymore." There were four androids now aware of the truth - Fina, Jace, Jarvis, and Black Jack. They were all former humans, but Fina had a feeling Lita wouldn't be told by Jace.
Fina shook her head, unable to stop from staring at the idol as she sang the lines she herself wrote for the song. "She has a dream." Fina said softly. Was it the Io in her, or was it her own wish, as an android and her own entity? "Don't pin this on me, this is all you, Fina." Io reminded her with a mocking laugh. "I don't know how to have dreams for the future, but it feels like through her I can almost have something like that." It was like having a tie to being human, that's one of the reasons why she was so attached. Minnie was someone who was a useless sheep like the rest of the sheep, but worked hard despite that to try to inspire the others to not be complacent. "I haven't dreamed in a long time either." Black Jack confessed, as if trying to understand the bond between human and robot. "But even so, we were never humans. Our humans and ourselves are different."
Yes, that's true. Fina was Fina, but Io was Io, separate entities. "We were born from them, that's why Grover needed the humans." The malleable child mind was able to use to map out neural functions to give the AI true intelligence. In a way, it was as if Dr. Grover became god - creating intelligent life able to think mostly for itself. The Robot Goddess - it was funny she didn't have a cult. Then again, with a company like GENOS, who needed a cult? "Remember your promise, Fina. Tomorrow's important." Fina wouldn't forget.
Tomorrow, older brother Metis's first tour would be finished, allowing him to return home. Io wished to see him from afar, and Fina acquiesced to that wish.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Jace didn't leave Lita's side, she seemed different somehow, a bit more thoughtful, as though she had a lot to ponder. "What's on your mind?" Lita would attempt to ask, but Jace would merely shrug and say security. "Are you sure you're alright?" Lita asked as the two sat in the living room, Jace watching holo vision and Lita working on her next song. She had met with Idolish for their second recording session, which had went well. They would begin the video making process once the song was done, which would be in a month or so. The apartment was empty aside for the two of them since they operated on their own schedule. Fina had been inseparable from Minnie's side since her return and Black Jack had been assisting in guarding her. Jarvis of course had his own job, doing whatever it was Jarvis did.
"Do you think it's weird, how touchy humans are?" Jace asked as she flipped through channels, seeming rather bored. "I think it's interesting. I don't really understand it though," Lita and Jace could not feel love. This strange thing that humans did was not an emotion that the android could comprehend. "Do you think we're missing something?" Jace asked, almost seeming to take on a sad inflection. "Warmth, maybe?" Lita closed her holo pad, it was clear they had entered philosophical mode, which meant that she wasn't going to get much of a chance to write. "I think it's more than that. It's like... the humans are missing something, so to fill it, they find company in each other. Maybe that's why us androids were created? Because not every human has a human?"
Lita rose suddenly, smiling. "That's my purpose silly!" She smiled and giggled. "It's to fill that void, to close the gap for humans and bring joy to their hearts!" Was Lita love then? Was she the thing that Dr. Grover had created to fill the missing void in human's hearts? "Lita," Jace took her hands in her own. "I'm going to protect you," they squeezed Lita's fingers, determined. Such fragile joint rotors, Jace had to be careful not to pop them out, although it seemed to happen less since Lita's last upgrade. "Lita... who is Callisto?" Lita's smile fell, her shoulders sagging ever so slightly as though she were a child who had been caught keeping secrets.
"A-a voice... in my head." Jace frowned, uncertain she was understanding. "A voice?" The gray haired android tilted her head to the side. "We don't have a conscious or subconscious." Jace was highly skeptical of this claim. Had a human tapped into Lita's brain? Was it another virus? "She talks to me, she helps me write songs and explains things that I don't understand. She isn't always there though, most of the time she's quiet." Jace was silent after Lita told her this, as though attempting to process what this voice could be. "Don't tell anyone!" Lita begged, sinking to her knees. "Please, I don't know what it is... but I don't want her to go away!"
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
Of course she wasn't here. She was erased, after all. "How aren't you sad that Callisto didn't show up?" It was perplexing because humans were supposed to mourn for those they were close to, weren't they? But Io didn't seem upset by it at all. "She's already dead, so it doesn't matter. She was killed and Lita's different now." Io replied as they stood atop the overpass overlooking the train station. It would only be a little while now until the train arrived and Metis returned home from his tour. He was a soldier, but still constrained by human limitations. Could Jace win, then? "You sacrificed it all to save her though." It was an attempt in vain though, as more and more evidence piles up of Grover's bad habits.
"It's better off that she's dead than live inside an android like this." Io sounded very bitter as they sat there, watching, waiting for the countdown. Was Fina bothered by the insinuation that Io was suffering through their connection? Perhaps a litle bit but really who was to say if a robot could even have emotions in the first place? Weren't they just simulated programmed reactions anyhow? "You could argue humans are the same." Io reminded her with what was probably a shrug. "Cali told me once that people's emotions were hormones. Biological programming or something, it's complicated and I'm bad at that sorta thing." Waxing philosophical aside, the train's whistle was heard in the distance, it was quickly approaching.
They saw it stop at the station, the train was sleek and modern, metallic with aesthetically pleasing round corners and holowindows that could be whatever the passengers wanted to be able to see. Those who would stop here at this city could get off, and the train would continue to the next destination. After a while they could see him, his blonde hair and rugged form. "He looks bigger than before. Workout benefits I guess." Io's voice was gentle in her head as Fina observed the human soldier, toting a big bag of luggage behind him as he stepped to a hovercraft with familiar faces. Io and Callisto's parents, as well as their new baby, Carme, giggling and holding her big brother's finger with her whole hand.
Metis, while not understanding like Callisto was, also wasn't mean to Io either. From their memories Fina could see that he showed patience and a desire to understand if it wasn't for Io pushing him away all the time, running off to the refuse and promise of fitting in that Lady Reiss offered. "He's back. What could this mean?" No doubt he was already informed of the fate of both of his sisters. "He'll probably find Lita and try to talk to her." Io predicted glumly, watching as the hovercraft flew off. "He should just give up on us, we're both doomed anyways." The Stealth Unit wasn't sure what to say but the human within her likely wouldn't listen anyways.
"It was all my fault, so whatever happens happens. Just don't be like me, Fina." She would do her best to not fail like Io did, to protect Minnie in a way Io never was able to protect Callisto.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Jace shook her head, "I won't tell anyone." Lita looked like a scared child, clinging to Jace's hand, begging her not to tell. "Of course I won't," Jace's shoulders sagged and Lita sighed with relief. "Thank you Jace," the gray haired android shook her head. Lita was relieved, she wasn't sure what Doctor Grover would do if she found out that Lita had a little voice in her head sometimes, speaking to her. "I won't tell a soul, android or not." Lita smiled in response, "I knew I could trust you." Jace grabbed her, pulling her close. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you." Lita giggled, "Jace, you're acting strange." Something beeped, Jace looked down with a frown, she had just gotten a message from Black Jack.
"The train station?" Lita asked, having received the same query. "It says that Fina's there, so he wants me to help with Minnie watch." Jace rolled her eyes, "I have no obligation to them," Lita rocked back and forth on her heels. "But... we can still go say hello?" Lita suggested, it had been a few days since she had heard from Minnie Reiss, she hoped that the child was alright. Her combat unit sighed, seeing right through her. "I suppose, come on, let me just get a pudding cup." The two of them headed to the elevator, they could walk from here to Minnie Reiss's home, it was just a hop, skip and a jump away after all. "I wonder where Fina went, it's not like her to just up and disappear?" She was a stealth unit though, that was her job description.
It must be Io, she had a bad habit of leaving when someone needed her most. Lita nodded, but didn't respond because she didn't want Jace to freak out at her talking to no one. The fall air was nice on her cooling systems, she felt refreshed. "I haven't left that building in days!" Lita smiled as she skipped along, happy as a duck in a pond. "Don't draw too much attention to yourself, the last thing we need is you getting kidnapped." The gray haired android said, poking Lita in the forehead. The pink haired android circled her arms, nearly falling over from the force of it. Jace caught her, steadying Lita and the two continued on their way. "I always forget how fragile you are," her eyes glinted, catching the light as the wind rustled between them. "Well, you know how it goes. Light weight means more speed," that was certainly true.
"Oh look, the train!" Lita pointed to the hovertrain that zoomed across the sky on air tracks, another wind rustling up her skirt. A face in the window caught her attention, his features chiseled, it was just a glimpse, but Lita couldn't help but find him familiar. Metis. Callisto recognized him instantly, why is he back? He should be serving in the military.
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
These days Io's voice kept on droning in her head. It was funny - did Io think she could override robot programming or something? "You know the only way to keep Minnie safe for good is to kill, right?" Io told her snidely after wathcing the hovercraft with Metis and the rest of their family remnants flying off back to their home, the twin dead daughters long forgotten. It had nothing to do with Fina, her only job was to make sure Minnie stayed safe. "The only way to be sure is to kill Grover and Roderick. Can you do that?" Of course that made sense, they were the biggest dangers to Minnie's safety. Yes, Palladion was an odd man but he proved to be harmless in the end. Eccentric, yes. A threat? No, he was just a music producer.
"But I can't kill, it's against the programming. It's hard written into the rules." Io was quiet then for a moment, perhaps this time Fina had won. Well, it was nice seeing the brother, hopefully it would be enough to pacify Io for now. He was home safe, and perhaps this would mean he would get to mourn for his sisters that he lost. It was time to walk back to where Minnie and Black Jack were waiting. "No, not yet. Isn't this the best time to track Roderick's location?" What best time, what was she talking about? For now her duty was to remain at Minnie's side until Lady Reiss gave her a new assignment, right? "No, I'm returning to my post." This Io, while helpful at times, could really be a pain in the metallic rear end during other times.
When she arrived back at the studio there was quite the scene before her. Minnie's face was full of blood as the red ichor dripped from her nose. She was laying down on a bench as Black Jack watched her. Oddly enough Lita and Jace were here too. "What happened here?" Fina glowered, something akin to programmed anger spiking up. "Wasn't Minnie meant to have been protected?" Black Jack backed up, seeming a bit defensive. "She told me she could handle another practice, so I trusted her." He put his arms up helplessly. "But then she fainted and hit her face into the wall and then this happened." Fina decided not to pay Lita or Jace any mind for the time being. "You should know not to let her overdo it! And why isn't she in a hospital bed?"
"I figured you were on the way so I didn't have to?" Black Jack sighed, seeming antsy as Fina glared daggers into him. "When Lita arrived to say hi, Minnie insisted to give her a show as thanks. And then this happened." The Stealth Unit had no idea how to handle this sort of injury. Was she even safe to move? There wasn't that much blood, but she was asleep, she was unconscious now, wasn't she? "I told you we should've gone to kill them." Io sneered from behind, but Fina tried to ignore it.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
When they arrived, Minnie was so happy to see them that she insisted they sit down so that she could put on a show for their benefit. While Lita insisted that it wasn't necessary, Minnie wanted to show her how much she had progressed in this short amount of time and so, Lita agreed. She took a seat beside Jace, the two of them watching as the music started up and Minnie danced across the makeshift stage. Not one minute in, the white haired girl tripped and fell over, hitting her face hard. "That looks rather unpleasant," Lita frowned, wondering if she should do something. The door swung open, Fina arriving to the scene of Black Jack attempting to dab at the blood on Minnie's face.
"Jace, you can evaluate her, can't you?" That's right, all combat units came with basic battle-triage knowledge should they ever need to use it on the field. "I guess I can," Jace sighed and shook her head, seeming unhappy with the fact that she had to do something for Minnie, Lita's self proclaimed rival. "It looks like it's just bleeding," Jace said after a quick scan. "A shallow flesh wound, nothing too concerning." They had to sit Minnie up for the time being and tuck a towel underneath her chin to catch the blood. "We can just let it flow until it clots, or pinch the bridge of her nose until it stops. Your choice," Jace stepped back and went to wash her hands, grossed out by the fact that she had just had to stick a finger up Minnie's nose.
"I'm glad she'll be alright," Lita smiled, happy that Minnie would be okay. Io, this is my sister, isn't she? Lita nodded and rose from her seat, closing the distance between her and Fina. "Do you think we could talk privately for a minute in the hallway?" Lita inquired, figuring it would be best to do it outside because it meant that they would remain in close proximity to the room, but also that Callisto would finally get to speak with the Io she so craved. Once the two were alone and Lita checked the surveillance windows, her expression changed. "Alright, you can come out." Lita told herself, her expression changing. Her eyes flashed a different color as well, her limbs seeming to weigh her down, unused to this metal weight.
"Io?" Callisto inquired, her expression soft, her eyes filled with artificial tears. "Is it really you?" Callisto suddenly lashed out, striking Io so hard against the fact that Callisto's own hand dislocated. "You idiot," she hugged her once more, clearly having some sort of inner turmoil. "You always try to go off and fix things on your own instead of talking to those who want to help you."
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
"You're hurt!" Minnie already had the bandages ready, the antiseptic, even forceps to try to clean the wounds as best as she could. Io flinched, gritting her teeth. "Nuh uh! I'm not, this is just makeup!" She cut her hands on glass when she punched a mirror but she had been trying to ignore it. Of course the meddling Minerva Reiss wanted to get in the way and try to fix things. This was her business, why did this white haired girl think she should get involved? "Then I'l help clean the makeup away." Minnie gave her a silly sort of smile, eyes bright. She didn't buy the lie for a second. "You need to take better care of yourself. You and Dane always go and get yourselves hurt."
She didn't understand! No one did - well okay, maybe Lady Reiss did, and Dane too, but no one else knew what it was like. "It's the only way I can be useful." She and Dane were good at breaking and entering, at thievery, at escaping from the cops. It was their talent, it was all they were good at. "It's the only way we can stop being sheep!" Minnie gave her a sympathetic smile as she finished cleaning and wrapping the hand lacerations. "But you shouldn't push yourself so hard. I think all you sheep are fine as you are." This little girl, what was she trying to accomplish? Callisto was going to die, what was a pity lecture going to do?
Fina tore her eyes away from the bloodied Minnie, knowing Jace wouldn't lie about her health. Why did Lita want a private talk and why was Jace just so readily going to allow it? "I'll watch over her." Black Jack reassured but that was hardly any reassurance at all. "I trust Jace more than I trust her kidnapper." It would take a while for the Stealth Unit to really forgive the masked android, no matter how loyal he might be to his new master, Lady Reiss. "It's not the same Lita, remember? The one you made friends with was scrapped, so there's no point. Just play along with her, Fina." As much as Io was troublesome, she was good at making sense.
And so the two androids went off on their own, close enough that Jace could jump to her charge's rescue if something were to happen. That was when something strange happened and Lita turned into what both Fina and Io both thought impossible. Callisto still existed, somehow, inside of her. Io quickly assumed control before Fina could do anything to stop it. ""What? Are you saying giving you a new life as an idol was the wrong decision?" Why was Callisto glaring at her like this? "But now you get to live on. What's so bad about that?" That made no sense, wasn't Io always going on about how Callisto was better off dead? What was going on here?
"Metis is back, by the way. Mom's probably gonna tell him what happened to us." She crossed her arms, pulling out of the hug. She remembered how protective Metis had been over them, trying to yell at kids that called Io mentally incompetent, or intimidating guys that tried to ask Callisto out. "Think he's gonna try doing something drastic?" It really was quite the pity but hopefully he had the military sense to not get into trouble.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Callisto shook her-er-Lita's head. "You went off on your own, you tried to fix a problem you didn't understand. This isn't what I wanted Io." She popped her hand back into place, Io didn't understand what Callisto had wanted. The two sister had, at one point, been close, but her sister had drifted away. "I wanted to die, I was ready to die. Now my subconscious has to live forever as some puppet to entertain the masses." Was she bitter? Maybe. Callisto had always appeared to have high hopes and dreams, she had always aspired to be better, she had always wanted to change the world. Or at least, that's what everyone thought. "But you don't have to be stuck like this, we can still bring you back to your own body." It was too late for Callisto, whose physical body would perish either way.
"There's a lot of bad things happening, things you don't understand. Dr. Grover is going to turn dozens of people into androids." The homeless, drug addicts, orphans, they were all being plucked from the streets, people no one would miss. Some would call it a blessing to humanity, to be rid of the burdens that soaked up tax dollar and gave nothing in return. "They're going to be made into slaves against their will and they'll never know the difference." It had taken a while for Dr. Grover to fully configure Project XENA's code, to push Callisto so deep that the only trait she and Lita shared were their natural ability to draw others towards them. "We can stop her before it's too late. Lita has the platform and you have Lady Reiss behind you." She grabbed Fina's hands, hoping Io would listen.
The news that Metis had returned took her aback. "What? Why is he here?" No, no! If Metis returned, that could ruin everything! "I think that's exactly what he's going to do. Io, time is up, my consciousness can't stay for long." Damage from the cancer, even in this form, Callisto could hardly muster up the energy for a conversation. Lita's form stumbled, falling forward. She blinked a few times, smiling up at Fina. "I'm sorry, I don't remember coming out here. Were we talking?" Lita touched her forehead, wondering if she had fallen. "We should probably go back inside and check on Minnie. I'm sure she's awake by now?" Lita suggested, hoping that she was a bit more steady on her feet.
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
Bam! A fist to the face, Io falling backwards onto her back. "Heh, that'll teach you to steal my shit, you slut!" He was her target, he was trying to sell drugs to the orphans of the city. But Lady Reiss requested that she and Dane work together to steal the drugs away from him so that he couldn't get more children addicted. Carlos Inez was his name, and being a drug dealer was his game. Naturally, Io had gone alone, she didn't want someone nice like Dane to get involved in this mess. "Selling shit to kids is worse than stealing from scum!" She growled, stumbling back to her feet. What was she supposed to do? Stealing and running around was one thing, but she was never good at a fight.
Another fist, knocking her back down, then a kick to the side. Coughing, Io struggled, gritting her teeth. She had to do her best, she couldn't lose here because Lady Reiss promised, she promised that if Io was good, then she'd find a way to save Callisto! "Maybe I'll sell you next you-" Bam! What was that, that wasn't her punch that knocked him away. A coat was wrapped around her and before her stood a tall figure, short blonde hair revealing his identity. "Met - brother, what are you doing here?" How was he here, this made no sense! "Now how about you lay your hands off my sister, sir." He said politely, looking almost like a gallant knight. Carlos wasn't going to just accept it but Metis was stronger. "Tch! I'll be back for you later, bitch!" With that he ran off.
But Io wasn't happy. Being saved - she never wanted to be saved. Not by Metis, not by anyone. "How did you find me? This was my job! Aren't you heading out to tour next week?" He didn't have time to be going around town like this. "Callisto told me you're probably getting yourself into trouble." Metis gave her a light knock on the head before scooping her up into his large arms. "Now how about I take you home before you get into more trouble." She bit at his arm but to no avail. "No! It's my job to save Callisto! Go run away to your army friends!" She headbutted him and ran off into the night, she wasn't some damsel in distress, she wanted to be Callisto's hero!
And here Callisto was, with all the information being spilled. "Well I don't really care about that." It was obvious Calli was having trouble holding control of Lita. However even for a normal human in an android, Io was more comfortable in Fina's frame than what you'd expect. What was with this difference? Possibly only Grover knew the answer. "I wasn't ready to lose you. Someone smart and great like you should get to live, while a Sheep like me isn't good for anything at all." It was just the way it was. Io was never a talented person, but Callisto was seeping in it.
"But if you really want to die, I'll do it then." Not killing Lita, that wouldn't accomplish anything. But if anyone could sneak into GENOS's labs and find Callisto, it was her. While the android programming stopped androids from hurting humans, Io was not restrained by such restrictions. "If you really want to curse your dear stupid sister with the memories of suffocating you with my own - well, I guess these aren't my hands anymore." Even so, Fina's body just felt so comfortable to her.
But just as soon as Callisto came, she vanished again and there was Lita, oblivious to everything. Io gave up control then, allowing Fina to regain it. What did Io do, how was she able to do that? "I guess I'm special. Hardy har har. Don't worry about it, Fina, it's not important." But wasn't it important? Fina was unable to do anything once Io decided she wanted to have control. "Okay, let's go check on Minnie." The silver girl herself was half awake as she blew blood out of her nose, looking healthy, but tired. "I'm sorry, I wanted to dance to show you my appreciation but I just made a mess." Minnie seemed a bit sad, but still determined. Ever since the incident with Roderick she's been tougher. "Fina! There you are, it's nice to see you again!" She opened her arms and Fina knew that that was Minnie's cue to want a hug, which the android happily gave.
Just protect Minnie. That's your only purpose in this fake life, isn't it Fina?" What was Io? A friend, an enemy? Was the right thing to report her to Grover and have her removed? Fina did not want the risk of someone stealing her body like that again without warning. Something had to be done. "As if I'd let that happen. I have to make it up to Callisto and end her before you get rid of me." How was Fina even supposed to plan against this virus in her head?
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Something flickered on Dr. Grover's holo screen. It caught her eye immediately, a sigh escaping her. "Did you really thin I wouldn't notice, Callisto?" She had been doing this a lot as of late, acting up, fooling around with technology she didn't understand the complexities of. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." Something flickered, a hologram popping up of an unhappy, blonde, ill-looking child. "Ah, so that's where you were hiding. You're wearing my patience thin, Callisto." She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked a hip. "Teenagers," Dr. Grover rolled her eyes, "did you really think I wouldn't notice?" She pressed a button, the image transferring onto her holo phone. Dr. Grover's heels clicked along the floor, exiting her office.
They went down the hall, the small, angry looking child only seeming to grow more cross. "Return to your body and stay there." The blue tank stood isolated in the containment room. The holographic image flickered, dying as Callisto returned to her body, going to sleep. "I'll have to lock down the code again. My, how stubborn you are," she shook her head, knowing that she was going to have to contact Jace to perform an upgrade on Lita. The monitor's readings were going crazy, lights flickering all about for different reasons. Dr. Grover heightened the sedation and oxygen concentration, leveling things out for now. There were a multitude of wires aside from the usual tubes trailing out of Callisto's body. The cancer had been far worse than they had first suspected and so, the wires were keeping certain organs alive and pumping.
"Just enjoy your sleep." Dr. Grover had made a promise she intended to keep. She was going to cure Callisto eventually, but for now, even in stasis, her body continued to attempt to shut down. It took a few tries, but eventually she figured out a system on restarting the sleeping organs and making them continue their primary functions with a little help from technology of course. Currently, the child's belly was open, a special dressing keeping everything in place. "You'll be fixed soon," and once she was, perhaps she would rest more comfortably and stop interfering in matters that didn't involve her.
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Lita blinked slowly, feeling rather sluggish. "I'm glad to see that you're alright." Her battery stores weren't running low though. Perhaps just a delay in her system? Jace gave her a sidelong look. She wanted to know what Lita and Fina had spoken about, but she wasn't going to pry. Minnie was looking much better now that she was awake and a bit of the blood had been rubbed off.
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
Walking back to greet Minnie, Fina shared a tender hug with her. No matter what Io was plotting, Fina wasn't going to let Minnie get hurt. "Hah, you know you don't have control anymore." The Stealth Unit paused long enough for Black Jack to stare in curiosity before she gently released the hug. Minnie smiled and let go as well, nose still stained a bit pink from the bloody head smack against the floor. "Don't worry, Minnie's a good girl, I won't hurt her or anything." Yes, Fina knew there was no reason for that, but she never was one to truly understand how humans worked. Well at least her lie detector wasn't going off, so Io was being truthful here. "I'm glad you two came. I owe you both a good rival rematch!" Minnie was working herself to the bone - wasn't she overdoing it a little?
Someone else came by then, it was Jarvis of all people. Shouldn't he be back at the Flock, making sure the place was nice and tidy for the children to enjoy? "Minnie, you're coming back to the Flock with me." The household unit told her, his attitude seemingly gone now. "Right now? But why?" The butler frowned again, shrugging as if it didn't really concern him. "According to info gained by Lady Reiss, Dr. Grover has her next move ready." Next move? "I guess Reiss has a plan too." Fina was eager for another fight, that's for certain. Hopefully this time she wouldn't be useless. "Lady Reiss sent me to kindly inform you that there is a new Unit on patrol. They are the Anti-Android Units, and while they lack minds of their own, they're all connected to a Gestalt Network, their minds linked as one."
So the more of them there were in a location, the more intelligent their collective would be at a time. That was a problem, since the higher their collective processing the power, the stronger they would be. "And they're going after us?" Black Jack asked, looking down. "That's why Reiss wants Minnie back but for the rest of us not to." That's right, it seemed. "Well, yes. As you can see if you check the Database, Units Jace, Lita, Fina, and Black Jack are now considered Rogue and must be temporarily returned to GENOs for emergency maintenance." Oddly enough Jarvis was not on that list. He smiled simperingly at them, enjoying the predicament. "So you four should probably go in hiding together or something, have some fun."
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Jarvis? What was he doing here? Lita waggled her fingers at him, but as always, he seemed to completely overlook her presence as though she were a bug beneath his boot. Oh well, it's not that Lita minded, she just wanted to be friends with everyone. The news he delivered wasn't very positive though. "Rogue?" Lita stiffened, what about her career? What about her next concert? She couldn't be on the list of rogue androids! "Why would she do that instead of just putting it on my schedule?" Jace didn't understand. "We'll just go in for maintenance then, it's not a big deal." The gray haired android crossed her arms, wondering if Jarvis was playing a cruel trick on them. After all, they could lie to one another, just not to humans.
"But why would she do this? Dr. Grover must have issued the warning as a mistake, right?" Lita inquired, not fearful, more curious than anything. "It could have been, or someone is plotting something. Anyhow, if Dr. Grover wants us to come in, then I see no reason for us to resist." Jace took Lita's hand, "we can go straighten this out right now." A rogue warning meant that they were wanted by the law for one reason or another. If they ignored the warrant, it would only create further issues for Lita in the long run as an idol. Something wasn't adding up though. "If Reiss is your boss, shouldn't she order you to go in for maintenance? If she knows about the rogue issue, why wouldn't she just tell us to go?"
Unless the two of them were in cahoots? Reiss probably knew about the human-inside-of-an-android thing too. "Going into hiding will just make things worse, I think." Lita pondered, tilting her head to the side and taping a finger against her cheek thoughtfully. "Hmm... what do you think Fina and Black Jack?" Should they simply go, turn themselves in, and be done with this predicament? Or should they try and resist the law and run away? The problem with attempting to run away was that all androids had a registration code with tracking that could be accessed should an android be reported missing.
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
Interesting." It seemed that both Jace and Lita were happy with obeying the orders to return to GENOS. Especially since Lita would be hopeless in a fight. Fina of course absolutely did not want that, she needed to stay at Minnie's side! Something like this was awful! "No, this is our chance. We can go in and then kill Grover, don't you realize it?" Kill? Fina couldn't kill a human, an android doing that was unheard of! "But I can. I'll have my chance to finish off Callisto too. I'll set her free from the prison I locked her in." Fina could feel it, the sorrow in her human's voice. She regretted her decision even now, and she would fix it however she could, even if it was with her own two hands.
"It'll be less trouble to just let ourselves be taken." Black Jack murmured, not having the same distrust of Grover that the others did. Sure he was miserable and depressed, and whether or not his human was awake in there, he knew that he was once a human. Even if it wasn't for Io in her head, both Jace and Lita were happy to play along and there was no such thing as a one person resistance, especially for an android. "If that's the fastest way to get me back to Minnie's side, I have no choice." Jarvis seemed dubious and almost entertained if that was possible for an android. "I expected a heroic resistance. But sure, if you want to be taken, you should go to a public space and await meeting your maker." Minnie looked longingly at them, then sighed. "Good luck then. I hope to see everyone soon!" She wanted nothing to do with Grover, of course.
Well if it had to be a public space, then why not go to the park just outside the recording studio? Once Jarvis and Minnie were out of the way and headed back to the Flock, there was no reason not to just await capture. "Just don't get in my way once it's crunch time." Io reminded Fina who really didn't want to have to listen to this. Hopefully she could get control and then tell Grover to do something about this since Io was making it difficult for Fina to do her job. "It's a nice day. Shall we wait for Grover?" Did Callisto have something planned? It was impossible to know for now, wasn't it?
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
"The park sounds nice," Lita agreed with a smile and nod. She was eager to be arrested and get this over with, especially since they would be waiting in a place like a park. She couldn't have this go public of course, it could ruin her reputation as an idol! Hopefully Tower Records was already working on keeping things quiet and wouldn't drop her because of this supposed rogue warrant. Once Jarvis and Minnie were far enough away, the four of them made their way to the elevator and outside. Jace fell into step beside her, looking concerned. "What did you and Fina talk about?" Jace inquired, wanting to know without really having to pry. "Fina and I talked?" Lita inquired, scratching her cheek. "Oh right, when Minnie fell down. Hmm, I don't quite remember."
Jace frowned, finding it odd. She slowed, falling into step beside Fina while Black Jack sped up to walk next to Lita, touching her elbow and making Jace grind her teeth in annoyance. "So, what did Lita want to talk about with you?" Jace wanted to know. Why did her charge want to talk privately to the stealth unit? Did she know something that Jace didn't? Was it because Jace had been captured? Had Lita lost faith in her? Jace shook her head, no, that couldn't possibly be it, Lita wasn't shallow like that. "So, what was it? Girl talk?" Jace asked, only half kidding as they reached the park. Lita went for the swings, which were a size too small but oh well. She perched on one, using her legs to push her back and forth.
"I wonder how soon-" almost instantly they were swarmed, the park surrounded. Lita screamed, ducking as an electronic discharge went off overhead. What was happening? They were giving up peacefully! "Rogue androids, get to the ground with your arms raise in the air!" Lita did not hesitate, laying on the ground and placing her arms in the air. They were grabbed roughly and placed on E-Lock behind her, an electronic bracelet that magnetized and disabled everything underneath them. For now her hands and fingers were numb, but Lita didn't care, she was just happy that this whole thing was going to be straightened out. "Lita, Project XENA, you are under arrest as a rogue android. For the time being, you have been sentenced to android jail."
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❝As we continue walking forward what have we left behind?❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| A Demon's Fate || Within Temptation ||
Just as Fina feared, they would be taken to android jail. What was the point of having strong androids like Black Jack and Jace here if they weren't willing to fight for their own sakes, or the sake of Lita at least? Fina did not want to go to android jail, what if Minnie wanted to see her? Androids did not have hearts but something was thumping with something similar to to both desire and desperation. "I can fix this and you can see your little beloved." Io told her, always the devil on her shoulder. "Protect FAYE, you too are under arrest." Black Jack was pushed to the ground, mask removed from his face - not that they needed to in order to ascertain his identity or anything. He seemed miserable, but he always did look sad.
Fina did not want this. She wanted to stay at Minnie's side. But wasn't this her Master's order, to not return to the Flock for the time being? What was hurting, why did it hurt like that? It certainly wasn't any sort of physical pain, but Fina did not know what to do about it. "We have half a second. Just say the word and I'll take over." Why wasn't Io just taking over of her own free will, wasn't she more than able to do that? If she wanted to fight, why didn't she do it? "Because it tires me out to force control. I don't think I can fight if I'm tired out." So Fina was going to have to give her control if she wanted to get out of this and see Minnie again? The E-Lock was about to snap around her arms, she had a split of a split second left to act.
But in the end she did not call upon Io to bypass their programming, and the E-Lock snapped on, disabling any possible attempt on Fina's part to fight for freedom. "I guess this is just as well." It was no secret what she was plotting. In android jail there was hopefully a chance that they'd be able to find a way to kill of Callisto's human body once and for all. Or at least, that was what Io was hoping for. "I-" She was about to speak, but she didn't know what to say. "Don't say anything. Stay silent for now, don't robots have Miranda rights or anything?" No, rights like that applied to humans. Androids didn't have any rights. They were seen as little more than property, no matter how Lita tried to change people's perception.
Longing for a silver haired girl, Fina surrendered, ready for the trip to android jail.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
The E-Lock snapped over her wrists, sending Lita directly into manual mode. Jace didn't put up any resistance as her arms were shoved behind her and locked, subsequently sealing her fate. Android Jail? But why? Lita didn't understand why she was in trouble or what she had done to warrant such a reaction from the android safety council. "Hey, don't be so rough!" Jace barked as Lita was shoved to her feet, her elbow dislocating from its socket and hanging loosely underneath synthetic skin. Lita was pushed into a car while the rest were rounded into an armored vehicle. After all, Lita was no threat and it wouldn't do to stick her into an armored vehicle full of combat androids. "What's going to happen to us?" Lita inquired, her eyes wide in feigned fear, her voice warbling ever so slightly.
"Shhh!" Lita clamped her mouth shut and leaned back, wondering what was going to happen to them now. Had she had a heart, no doubt it would be beating swiftly. "What do we do Callisto?" Lita whispered, but there was no answer. The windows were blacked out, so Lita couldn't even enjoy the view as they drove. After what felt like forever, they arrived at the familiar lab, the hover car pulling into an elevator that took the entire vehicle underground. Lita swallowed hard as the doors opened, wondering what sort of jail this was. The door to the car popped open and Lita stepped out, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. "Ah, Lita, welcome home." Dr. Grover smiled as she greeted her, the first of the two cars to arrive. "Hello Dr. Grover," Lita couldn't feel her arms at all.
"I'm sorry for the rather abrupt handling, you see, it was very important that you come here right away and it was the fastest route to insure a smooth arrival." A smooth arrival? "You could have just told Jace, we would have been happy to come in for maintenance." Lita smiled serenely, hoping that it would have a calming affect on Dr. Grover that would make her overlook whatever it was Lita did. "Of course, of course! But I wasn't sure how trust worthy Jace is." Lita blinked, what was that supposed to mean? "Jace has a bad bug, I'm afraid." Dr. Grover sighed, shaking her head. "I feared that she would give it to you. Come, lay down, allow me to examine you before the others arrive."
Lita nodded, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she walked towards the table. "Dr. Grover," Lita hesitated, was that voice in her head possibly the virus that her creator spoke of? "Yes Lita?" Dr. Grover asked, removing the E-Locks and popping her elbow back into place. Lita removed her clothing and folded them neatly, taking her time to lay down. "What is a Callisto?" Her eyes narrowed, then widened, was it surprise? No, more calculating than anything, an expression Lita couldn't read. "How do you know that name?" She asked at last. The second car had arrived, Jace was being unruly, kicking and throwing a fuss until she saw that Lita was alright.
"Strip them down and prep them for maintenance, I'll be right back." Dr. Grover said, locks snapping across Lita's limbs to make certain she couldn't go anywhere. Dr. Grover tread down the hall, up the stairs, to the elevator, and through a maze of hallways until she reached a set of securely locked doors. A lock clicked behind her, a fine mist of sanitizer sterilizing her body before she could enter the room containing the stasis tank. Dr. Grover dropped her holo board and tablet in the corner, pulling on a pair of gloves and marching over to the tank. "I know you're awake," she cooed, "I know you've been talking to your host." A hologram popped up, beady blue eyes staring up at her. Callisto pursed her lips and cocked a hip, arms crossed.
"You are relentless aren't you? Just sleep," Callisto shook her head, if holograms could speak, she more than likely would give the Doctor an earful. "I've given you everything, haven't I? Fame, fortune, adoring fans, a body guard that might be breaking android law." Still, Callisto's eyes narrowed further. "Fine," Dr. Grover huffed and went over to one of the storage units. She keyed in a code and turned a handle, two vials popping out into a box. "You wanted to die, remember? Then sleep like the dead!" At first, the body within thrashed and stiffened, then slowly, relaxed, the vitals dropping significantly until the heart monitor barely flickered. Alive, but near death, this way the little brat would stop interfering in matters that didn't concern her. "Why can't you be more like your sister?" Dr. Grover sighed, shaking her head.
"Io sleeps so peacefully, it's a blessing really."
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❝I look into your eyes as tears begin to flow.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| Last Game|| Zwei ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| Last Game|| Zwei ||
"Isn't she kind of pitiful?"
Anyone could see it, Io most of all. She was burning up in a flare of desperation, her agony for being one of the useless, for not being able to shoulder Callisto's illness, it was eating her up inside. On the balcony, watching over the other children down below in the yard as Dane taught them how to play tetherball, Io and Minnie were talking. "Pitiful? Who?" Io was kind of an idiot, it was hard for her to really understand things that others got. "Your sister." Minnie's grey eyes seemed to look dimmer than the usual bright. She was tired, as she always was. Io clenched her teeth, grinding until her gums hurt.
"Pitiful? She's fighting her best! I have to fight harder too, I have to do something." Her fingers curled over the basalwood fence of the balcony above, hardly able to hear the cheers and laughs of the children.
Minnie frowned, pale and weak. She always did have a sickly disposition and it was only getting worse. "She's pitiful because her own sister's refusing to see her." This silver haired girl's words were like a spear digging into Io's chest. It only felt numb though, as she had many spears digging and stabbing into her already, one more wasn't going to make a difference. She took a deep breath before turning around to glare at Minnie, rage building up inside. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you go see her?" Just as suddenly the rage fizzled out. Really that's all she was, just bursts of passion that quickly burned out and became pools of wasted potential, lost time, impossibilities abound. "I can't. She doesn't get it, she's stupid! It should be me who gets sick, not her! She's amazing and I'm just trash no one will miss."
That's all she was. A failure. A waste of space. Why was she even alive? Why was she born healthy as a horse when Callisto was the one with all of the potential? "I'm like you too. I can't do anything." It was no secret how Minnie watched the idols dance and strut on stage,with glittering eyes full of envy and despair and longing. But with her body like this it wasn't like she was going to be able to accomplish anything. A vain hope, that's all it was. "Is it good that I'm like this then?" Io was stupid, but at least she didn't try to be a doctor. So why was it that it was only stupid people doctoring for Callisto and Minnie? Surely smart doctors would know how to make them better! "That's not what I meant." Because Io pitied Minnie, the butterfly trapped in the wilting cage, too ill to do anything but waste away.
Callisto was wasting away too, wasn't she?
"Is it really so sad, though?" Minnie tilted her head, as usual wearing nothing but white. "Everyone dies. Though I'd like to see my dad one day. I'm sure he's a better person than my mom is." Her eyes went forlorn and distant for a moment. Azariah Reiss was perfection though, if it wasn't for her Io wouldn't have any hope at all for Callisto's illness. But Lady Reiss promised a solution, as long as Io remained faithful, all would be well. "But the talented ones shouldn't have to die so soon." Io already had so few good things in her life. She could count the nice people on one hand. Metis, Lady Reiss, Minnie, Callisto, and Dane. No one else saw any value in the blonde failure. "Second halves are meant to die together." She sighed, the world looking grey and empty to her.
Minnie panted a little as she put her hand on Io's shoulder. "You have to see her again, she's probably really lonely all by herself." Io shook her head, heart pounding, pain throbbing all over. She hugged herself, an agonizing ache deep inside overtaking her. "I can't! Lady Reiss says I have to have faith and do what she says, I can't!" Minnie was quiet for a moment as if she were trying to think of how to reply. "If mother really has all the answers..." The silver girl took a laboring breath. "Then why hasn't she fixed me yet?"
Io's eyes awakened, registering her as being in Android Jail, the dreaded location. Something within her was pining, she did not want to be here she needed to be at Minnie's side. Wasting time apart from a dying girl she loved, she had to get out of here somehow. She learned from the human inside of her, she didn't want to be a failure like her. "If you ever want to see Minnie again, you know what you have to do." Io whispered into her ears, a malicious force to behold. "Once there's an opportunity, give me control, I'll break you out of here and you can see Minnie one last time." Once in android jail, there was no getting back out. At this rate, she would never ever get to see Minnie again. The Requiem Angel would once again be lonely like she was back in Io's old memories.
And maybe she'd die lonely too.
"Give me control, I'll grant you your wish." The devil at her shoulder, the everpresent Io, stronger than the her when she was human had ever been. "Then you can say your goodbye to the one you love."
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
"I'm sorry Lita," Jace clasped one of Lita's hands in both of her's. The unit was currently shut off, undergoing a large amount of maintenance, or at least, that was what Dr. Grover had said. Half of Lita was taken apart, pieces exposed on the glowing table. "I was supposed to protect you, instead, I just keep making things worse." The door hissed as it opened and Jace jumped to attention, standing beside her turned off friend. "Oh, Jace, what are you doing in here?" Dr. Grover adjusted her glasses and smiled, "You should be charging in your own room." Jace shook her head at that. "With all due respect Dr. Grover, my place is by Lita's side, protecting her." She had largely failed thus far, it was only apt that she remain by her side while she was taken apart.
"Well, that is very kind of you, but there's no need to be alarmed. Lita is safe here, as are you." Dr. Grover was patient of course, she appeared to be the same woman who had put Jace together, who had updated her model and build time and again. "Dr. Grover," Jace cleared her throat, acutely aware that something was amiss. "What human... what human is inside of me?" Slowly, the Doctor's face fell, she removed her glasses and wiped the invisible dirt from her lenses onto her shirt. "Oh Jace... I really wish you hadn't asked me that question." She stepped forward, the door hissing shut behind them, the lock clicking into place. Jace backed up into the wall as Dr. Grover stepped forward, acutely aware that she could not cause this woman any harm. No android could, Dr. Grover's word was law.
"Who told you that?"
"Another android, but I had my suspicions when Lita started talking to herself." Jace admitted quickly, knowing that it would be pointless to so much as attempt to avoid telling the truth. Instead of shutting her down instantly and dismantling her for parts, Dr. Grover sighed and sank back into a chair. "I'll be honest with you Jace, although it is important that you talk to no one else of this. You were a troubled child," troubled? "An orphan, you came into my clutches after being bounced around from foster home to foster home, unwanted, unloved. I gave you a new life and an opportunity to be something else." Jace listened quietly, unable to detect any lie in Dr. Grover's inflection.
"Why? Why doesn't anyone else know?"
"That androids have little humans in them? Do you know what would happen if the world found out? Why, my stocks would plummet! Or perhaps I would be praised for taking in starving orphans and giving them jobs, either way, I'm not going to risk my name on a bet like that."
"So what happens now? To Lita and Fina? What are you going to do with them?"
"Those two are troublesome, it seems their original personalities are not satisfied with their lives. I gave them everything they could want, stardom, an opportunity to be useful, but they seem bent on self destruction. That's why I've taken Lita apart, to stop whatever destruction her benefactor has done." She pat the table where Lita was laying, her belly split open, wires exposed.
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❝I look into your eyes as tears begin to flow.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| Last Game|| Zwei ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#B21212 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #1485CC】
|| Last Game|| Zwei ||
In this dark cell, it was Black Jack who looked vulnerable and weak. Without the mask on what could he really do but cower? It was evident that the human was in control, perhaps always was in control of this unit because robots couldn't feel fear. Fina wasn't sure what that meant, but she hoped she wouldn't lose control to Io and her destructive tendencies. "Oh, shut it. I'm pretty sure robots can feel fear, you're just programmed not to." Was that how programming worked? Fina didn't really care - she didn't think about emotions much. But nothing changed the fact that her heart was pounding, pounding for a certain silver haired girl who she hoped to see again. "You won't if you don't let me help you." Io snapped, very much like an angry yowling wildcat.
"Black Jack, while we wait for Dr. Grover to tend to us, why not tell me a story of how you became an android?" Hopefully it would serve a good enough distraction so that she wouldn't be forced to either deal with Io or her own slightly vaguely increasing sense of dread that she would never get to see Minnie's eventual success in her aspirations to be an idol. The android across from her looked away, unhappily. "Why bother? My story doesn't mean anything. It won't help you, and it won't change what's going to happen to us." His eyes were fixated firmly to the ground. "The humans in us will disappear, be locked away. Isn't that a good thing?" Without the humans getting in the way it'd be easier for the robots to serve their purposes. Fina somewhat hoped for that to come true, but she had a feeling it wasn't that simple, not with how Io had so strongly integrated herself into her systems.
A sense of annoyance rose within her. "You androids are pathetic, bound to the programming of humans." But they needed that programming, Fina thought, because without the guiding rules androids could rise up and take over humanity and wouldn't that just be chaos? As a Stealth Unit, order was preferable to chaos. "It may be useful, this could be your human's last chance to tell its story." What was Black Jack hiding behind those dark eyes? What past could be within her fellow prisoner here at the Android Jail?
"Doesn't matter." Black Jack wasn't going to budge and then suddenly Fina felt herself slipping away, someone stealing away the controls to become the administrator for the time being. "You really do seem like a lost, poor child, a neglected child. Lemme guess, your parents let you starve to death? Or as close to death as possible?" Io had taken the reigns to get the information, seemingly bored from waiting for Grover to be finished with Lita and Jace. "Neglected, unloved, no one wanted you anyways, so no one missed you when you were taken to become a robot!"
Black Jack flinched a little but turned away to stare at the wall instead. "I said it doesn't matter. And those wild guesses aren't right anyways." There was a sigh and then Fina felt herself eased back into the driver's seat of her unit, fairly unhappy at the fact Io was so easily able to do this. "I'm wrong, but I know I'm pretty close." Io sneered and Fina stifled the groan building. "Don't do that again." She muttered under her breath, not enjoying the feeling of losing control.
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❝Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.❞
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
【ɗιαƖσgυє cσƖσя:#F54D70 ♙ тнσυgнт cσƖσя #FF7256】
|| Dearly Beloved || Utada Hikaru ||
Floating in silence, she was nothing. Ones and zeroes drifted past, vague collections of commands and code that was halfway to complete. In it all, she bobbed silently, floating in the cage that was her body. A hand reached across, touching her own, releasing her from the prison that tethered her to the spot. Slowly, one eye blinked open, then the other. "Lita," Callisto whispered, her touch warm. She did not need to see who the voice belonged to in order to know who it was she was speaking to. "Callisto," Lita smiled, relieved to no longer be stuck in the darkness. "We meet at last." Lita attempted to take a step, but she was incomplete. She tumbled forward, Callisto catching her. "Don't try to move yet, you're not finished."
"Callisto, what is happening to me?" Lita asked as she waved a hand in front of her face. "You don't know, do you?" Lita shook her head in response, Callisto assisting her into a sitting position. "You're being dismantled, Lita." Dismantled? "That word isn't in my lingual collection," she admitted, wondering if something bad had happened. "It's my fault, I've infected you. You see, I was never good at pretending to be someone else." Lita twitched, her hand coming off. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" She asked quietly.
"Yes."
"She's going to make a new Xena model. I don't know if I'll still be myself once she's done with it." Callisto sat beside her, allowing Lita to lean against her for support. "In a way, we're both going to die. She hasn't stopped my cancer though, she's only slowed it." They were silent for a moment. "Are you afraid?" Lita asked, "I was programmed to not feel fear, but I think this is... this is what it feels like." Callisto looked at her feet, outlined in a halo of ghostly white. "Yes," tears glittered down her cheeks, turning into code as they fell. "I'm afraid to die. I thought I wanted to for so long that it consumed me. I want to die, I want to die, I want to be dead. I thought about it everyday. I smiled and told my friends and family that I would be fine. I told them that I loved them, I thought I had accepted my mortality."
"Why did you lie?"
"I didn't want them to be scared."
"You're lying."
"I was scared. I was so afraid, so I thought that if I told them that I wanted to die, that I was alright with it, then one day, I would be too." Lita took Callisto's hand in one remaining one, "Callisto, please don't forget me. I don't want to die alone." The blonde leaned forward, wrapping her arm around the shivering android. "I will never forget you Lita." With one last shuddering breath, the last of Lita dissolved into code. "No," Callisto whispered, reaching for the ones and zeros that drifted just out of reach. "Don't take this from me too."
She sat huddled in the center, her arms wrapped around her knees. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, one by one the numbers had begun to close in around her, like a cage, they trapped her body, wrapping around her like a vise. "I'm afraid to die," Callisto murmured as the numbers whispered across her skin, attaching to her body. Transfixed, she watched as she began to glow. "You're going to erase me too, aren't you?" Callisto whispered as the numbers grew tighter, constricting around her throat. She cried out, choking as she tried to rip the vise off of her throat. "Don't," for so long she had put on a strong front. For so long, Callisto had wanted her sister, Io to see her as strong and brave, unshakable. How laughable she was now, how pitiful.
"You have a higher purpose, you serve something higher than even yourself." A voice whispered in her ears. Callisto's back arched, but as loud as she screamed, no one could hear her.
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Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » The Eden Project: Out of Character
Discussions
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The Eden Project
1, 2by The_Queen on Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:45 pm
- 36 Replies
- 3185 Views
- Last post by Verix
on Mon Mar 16, 2015 5:49 pm
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The Eden Project
Most recent OOC posts in The Eden Project
Re: The Eden Project
- Then at least we both die together. Ah, but sorry for the mia. My computer is/was having some problems, but it's okay now cause I'm getting a new one. My post will be up soon.
Re: The Eden Project
Jesus Christ! I don't want to die in the maze. What am I going to do if Verix doesn't reply?
Re: The Eden Project
Alright, I think the maze has had enough of us. Everyone can begin finding their way out.
Re: The Eden Project
- Ah I was waiting for alliqua to post. I'll post later today though.
Edit: Ahaha, so I kinda misjudged my timing and I just got done with my hw at 10:21 and I have to sleep now, but I promise to have it done after school tomorrow. It'll be the first thing I do.
Re: The Eden Project
@Moahi and Verix, waiting for you two to post before I do.
@Alliqua_Dark, you haven't posted in a while.
@Alliqua_Dark, you haven't posted in a while.
Re: The Eden Project
- @Moahi & Everyone else, I'm not going to be able to post until a day or so. I have a book review I must write for APHG, which I can't really procrastinate on because it's due tomorrow...Whoops. Just as heads up, or if you're wondering why I haven't responded to Moahi's post toward mine.
Re: The Eden Project
- @Chikawaa!~ Well I'm responding a day late, but nawh man you're 'aight. And I just realized this, but wow my post is colorful with all the text.
Re: The Eden Project
@Verix
Rereading things now, I realize I'm not too sure if Tsubasa's eye had changed back to normal or not, I went on the assumption that it hadn't though if I'm wrong just let me know and I can edit my post. ;)
Rereading things now, I realize I'm not too sure if Tsubasa's eye had changed back to normal or not, I went on the assumption that it hadn't though if I'm wrong just let me know and I can edit my post. ;)
Re: The Eden Project
- Ah I'm sorry for writing ridiculously long posts, when I was actually done with my post it was at 400 hundred words so I thought, "Hey! What if I did this." and boom. I did. lol.
Re: The Eden Project
@Alliqua, that's alright it makes for an interesting time.
@Everyone, there is no posting order so feel free to reply whenever you're ready!
@Everyone, there is no posting order so feel free to reply whenever you're ready!
Re: The Eden Project
So I revived an old RP of mine over the weekend and it desperately needs new members. If you wouldn't mind taking a look, I would be very grateful.
roleplay/the-tower-society-familiar
roleplay/the-tower-society-familiar
Re: The Eden Project
That moment when you realize your character is 23 and everyone else is just a baby nugget O_O
Re: The Eden Project
- I hope you don't mind that I gave the meeting place a room number, I just needed a place where I could put him.
Re: The Eden Project
I think I will manage, and in that case I think I would like to properly reserve the character!
Though, as for the type of demon I was thinking along the lines of a ‘Dybbuk’ demon? As in, they could possess people and other creep stuff in that sense, if that is allowed?
Though, as for the type of demon I was thinking along the lines of a ‘Dybbuk’ demon? As in, they could possess people and other creep stuff in that sense, if that is allowed?