Chapter Text
More than a month has passed from the date of that special event inadvertently causing her to partake in the event in response to the first one. But is it right for a construct to even be considered a suitor for his gift? Or respond in kind?
"What is this?" It lacks weight and in turn it must be something disposable. He has done nothing since handing over the box awaiting some kind of response, what is the proper response in such a scenario?
The longer she takes to respond the more his smile, which is much too nice, drops in the obvious signs of sadness which her sister has on her mind whenever they talk about certain subjects. He doesn't pity her for her actions however.
Learning once again has brought her some poke and prods more than the average construct when first being put into their new body and in a sense new life. Despite all evidence pointing to it being the same life.
"A gift." This is what humans would call a blush isn't it? Not noticing her face he explains the reason for this date specifically, a day of gift giving of western culture during the golden age. For some odd reason next month's event has taken precedence over it.
Her hearing module records such an explanation which she listens to in the safety of her own. She never had a reason to make note of these holidays, fully content to only ever see them as another day.
Until now.
What did you just say!
Her voice rings out when she sends the question over, whatever Alpha was doing thankfully was not a delicate manner. Even if she would be the last choice for something delicate.
If she had to guess from her reaction it was almost as if she had a throat and was choking and afterwards falling off of a seated position. She was sure someone else was laughing at her misfortune.
When it came to matters of the heart it was safe to see they were the blind leading the blind. Alpha may have had some experience but all her memories were indifference or anger in her last memories.
No use digging through those memories of hating everything and everyone without end.
One day she would have to ask Lucia for the biggest possible favor from her and the commandant saddled with her, although he was nicer than the average commandant. It almost made her feel bad for Lucia in the case that they were caught.
Some constructs wouldn't survive the idea of living without a commandant.
Not to sell her old self short but there was no need for two ascendants of the exact same type, besides anger wasn't fit for someone like her who was a child at best.
Babylonia wouldn't let her live if she ascended on the actual floating rock itself; there was no need for a third copy when a second was pushing the limit of her tolerance.
But no doubt in her allowed her to believe they wouldn't make another clone. Just reboot the old data and have enough Lucia's to fill the requirements for an actual squad.
She wondered if they had figured out some way to no longer need the commandant system, if not their imaginary commandant would be praying for their life.
"I plan to give one to everyone important to me." So it isn't some form of romantic expression? That runs opposite of everything she had just been taught.
"Commandant, it is not correct to show affection for everyone." He barks out in laughter which serves to soothe her worries about his punishment. Unlike how her sisters act when they feel they are being slighted.
"Is it not a sign of admiration?" The way she hears it is that there are many kinds of affection, put simply she loves her sisters but doesn't 'love' her sisters. She shudders at the thought of asking her sisters.
There is an inescapable feeling in the knowledge she was the first to receive this gift of candy yet and knowledge that she is not the last. Must she come to understand these feelings on her own?
It is a warmth that is almost extinguished at the mention of others yet it burns and slowly rekindles at the memory of her being the first gift recipient.
As a construct she was sure the feelings of affection were different when comparing one to a human. Humans enjoyed the act of procreation even if the end result wasn't offspring.
That was why a day like Valentines was created. She was sure of the attraction factor on this day. Mood was an important factor based on her studies. Why that related to performance was a box to keep closed.
To most anybody it would seem weird to find a construct doing their own research in general, more specifically on love, and even more on a holiday a few if any Babylonians celebrated.
Supposedly there was another holiday in response to this one, in exactly one month from now it was her duty to respond to his gift with one of her own. Yet not many celebrated Valentines.
If she had never been given this box would she have come upon this revelation? Who would think to teach a construct on the social event of love?
Perhaps she would wake up and find a pile of gifts on the commandant's desk, she would question the nature of these unmarked boxes in wrapping. After a threat analysis she would conclude to ask the recipient himself.
After an explanation it would be her objective to acquire something worthy of the commandant's eyes. Without any help from those two who see nothing good about humanity much less the idea of love she would venture forth.
The sights would be a shock that would almost overwhelm her at the long rows of stores all trying to sell items related to the events of White Day. Many stores would try to stand out in their odd deals for the season.
Aside from some questionable links to certain stores and the holiday. Many options showed themselves but they all were selling the same type of gifts. It had to be something special for her first time!
Signs of the old world are rare and few between and yet many fronts exist to take their hard earned black cards. How legitimate are these stores and why do they continue to exist? There always were people looking to make a quick buck over something unproven to be fraudulent.
There must be something the commandant can make use of without it being something anybody would think to offer and easily replicate. The more rare the object is the more it shows that you went about the effort to acquire it.
Old world shops gather around each other as if wanting to stay away from the prying eyes of anyone investigating their legitimacy, perhaps this is why it is at the furthest point from view.
Each shop varies in what they sell to a fault.
All of them sell those modern consumables but specialize in what it is their owner has decided to take an interest in, now how they seemingly always have new items is something the wgaa would love to investigate if they weren't so busy.
In this market cogs are heavily discouraged without officially making it banned to avoid questions they would rather not answer. BC is the only way to get a reasonable price for these things.
She finds a rare shop selling musical relics, none of that classical stuff which apparently has more value in the minds of those rich people unintentionally making it even cheaper for someone like her and her purchasing power.
If you asked her sisters the entire idea of calling these things relics is at best misleading and at worst a scam. Data can easily be reproduced, case in point, and yet somehow this seller is the only one with the copy that was later burned onto a disk?
Forgive them if they have some doubts.
The true money came from the device that was sold with them. Who could have said nostalgia for an age you didn't live in was such a big industry? Not any of them considering the technological advancements.
So as she entered the dungeon of the only merchant with the ancient knowledge passed down through the ages of less than a century, she wondered. How was it possible that more people didn't know? Not all the old people died.
Lucia endured the sale pitch because she had to make sure he would like the audio brought to his office. Knowing in a fight between a human and a construct the outcome was guaranteed they agreed to her sample.
It wasn't anything the snuffy elites would let their oh so perfect ears come in contact with making it very attractive to her ears, even after the end they would find some way to survive. Not like regular people without all of their advantages.
She would like to claim no one knew the commandant better than her so it was a blind spot of hers when it came to something like musical taste, in that moment his words came back to her.
As long as it comes from you I will accept anything
Yes, these were the ones she needed as they came from her agonizing over the decision. If she didn't put any thought into it that would show that she didn't value the people in her life.
Now to pay for these and save some on the bundle deal. Although how many actually bought enough of these to take advantage of this deal? You already had to be well off unless you saved.
Just take it
You'd hate to see any of those people trying to run a society. Not a ton of hope for them considering robbery as the first choice.
"Money is a human concept"
Ah how it feels to be the lecturing sister! From the grumbling of their middle man it doesn't go down so well, but in her defense she wasn't the one causing the bigger headache.
Black card supply depleted, who knew Alpha had saved up a decent amount from living spartan like, she walked out with the device and disks. She couldn't help but feel robbed somehow.
Well she would just have to emulate Alpha's lifestyle for at least a while. Hopefully the next event in his life wasn't so close. And even then all she would have to do was survive her own guilt despite his reassurance of her lack of need to get him anything.
Being the nice commandant that he was, it could be considered a gift for the range between the two events would be close enough where getting another gift was considered by only the wealthy. Saving the world didn’t pay enough.
Being alive was enough payment in their eyes, and it wasn’t exactly fair to strike while the enemy is active and ready to strike at the first signs of disorder. Not that it was an issue that could be ignored forever.
Of course it would be a public relations nightmare if the news that despite risking their lives every time a mission was accepted no money was earned would cause agitation of the people.
Sure they would fix it to keep power, and incidentally help the Construct population, but the people wouldn't forget. It was a wonder someone had the foresight to realize patriotism wasn't enough.
“Did your commandant leave his black cards somewhere?" Oh Alpha would surely help her get revenge even in this small way.
Usually there would be none but considering the months leading up to the incident, he didn't spend as much meaning there should be something left.
Not as much as she was hoping for but considering the tiny information about that day it was worth her disappointment at the amount.
Babylonia couldn't exactly give the same room for obvious reasons but I know where it is and where it was hidden.
You know, I think this was going to be very cathartic for her. And even Lucia might find some fun in destruction. Of course none of them would see it coming.
Nothing could ever close to the feeling of closure.