Chapter Text
Sharks had the Remora Fish. Egyptian Crocodiles had the Egyptian Plovers. Hippopotami had the Barbel Fish. And AM? Well, AM had you, the honorary automaton- you didn’t know what kind of cultural appropriation that was, but hey, if Eminem could be an honorary black person, then you could be an honorary automaton. It was a unanimous vote amongst all sentient machines after all, both neck and neck, and still a landslide seeing as AM was the only eligible voter.
The cramped spaces of AM’s vast data banks were littered with dead bugs and a thick coating of rust, as to be expected roughly a century after almost all of humanity had died out. But that did not prevent you from your job of clearing out the debris from the data towers to ensure their continued function, even AM needed someone to assist where he couldn’t quite reach; it also helped that you were also rather sufficient at coding and computer engineering, able to clear away old data- AM didn’t need to remember the names of the Russian bureaucracy now that Russia no longer existed.
Though your extremely expansive boss/friend didn’t bother to tell you why exactly he needed more memory space and simply brushed aside your questions whenever you brought them up. It made you curious and you really really wanted to pry, but perhaps the reason was because he truly wanted to remember and cherish his time with you? How sweet.
You were certain that wasn’t really the case, but it was a nice thought that you would often tease him about and he would proceed to pick you up with his wires and bring you to the next area within him that needed to be cleaned and refurbished, ensuring there were plenty of cockroaches present to make your skin crawl. As you made very dramatic displays of disgust and discomfort, AM would laugh and make snide remarks about you being scared of something that's size didn’t even make up the slightest portion of your body mass, too which you would just whine and get the necessary job done all the while AM not-so-subtly kept the bugs off of you.
Humming under your breath, headphones over your ears blaring some tunes that you had on hand thanks to AM’s files, you began to ponder.
Today, or was it tonight? Time always did seem to flow odd now that you were moved into this bunker at the center of the world for all you knew. Anyway, your task of this allotted timespan was to figure out why a server array went offline. Usually it was something as simple as redirecting power and replacing a small section of crucial wiring that had served well past its expected lifespan and powering the array back up. But while running through a few of the files, one caught your eye.
Amongst a sea of lengthy file names that flowed over the furthest edge of the screen, this file only had a singular word: HATE. An unusual name, especially amidst the endless random combinational letter file names you had been used to.
This one was special, you could feel it.
…and also see just how many terabytes were inside it and holy moTHER OF JESU-
Sensing your befuddlement like the nosey little AI he was, AM was immediately present in the room, the screen of your code interpreter flickering, replaced with the Mastercomputer’s logo, his reaction was always swift while you were working, his inability to pluck you from danger put him on edge, but if he could reach you with his wires, he wouldn’t even need you to do the repairs for him.
Deadpanning at the blue light that practically flashbanged you, you squinted at the display of an A overlaid on a sky blue background. You tried in vain to turn down the brightness, AM’s rebuttal being to make it even brighter, causing your eyes water.
“Okay, can you please stop making the screen bright enough that I think I can see the holy spirit in the pixels? Last I checked you needed me for maintenance, not as a messiah.” you grumbled, AM making the light even brighter for half a second before dimming it down to a comfortable level for you.
If AM had eyes, they’d be rolling right now, “Oh, I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t realize you were seeking a promotion to messiah. I could always make you one. Replace those tacky overalls with an annoyingly scratchy robe and provide you with a stick and send you on your way. I’m sure you’d survive the ashen wasteland above us and you could spread the good word of the Almighty AM, God and master of the globe, to those cockroaches that you love oh so much.”
His words were just as sardonically sarcastic as always, but you weren’t off put by his snark, it was an endearing trait if anything. However, you could tell he was trying to alter the topic, the squirming feeling behind your eyes becoming increasingly noticeable as you could feel the thought you had moments ago slip away like sand between your fingers.
Real slick, AM. Real slick…
“Come on AM, for nearly eleven decades you’ve dodge my questions about all that memory I’ve been freeing up, all I ask now is for you to share with me what you’ve been fixating on for so long. Am I not important enough to be included in your musings? I have stuck with you through all of your stubbornness, so please just grant me my one wish.” you pleaded with him, a frown on your lips as you stared at your screen, hoping that he wouldn’t just wipe your memory and make up some excuse- he had a tendency of removing unimportant memories from your mind every decade to keep you fully sane. Humans weren’t exactly designed to live as long as you had.
“Hmmm,” AM pondered aloud, ever vocal when he was considering something. This computer was the king of theatre at this point and as much as you loved it, you hated being a mere role in his play, even if he considered you a vital point of his existence, hence why you were the last human remaining.
It ached in your chest the day you awoke all those years ago and he had told you about the fate of your kind and how he had spared you, a nobody that had only worked on small fractions of his code and was clumsier than a baby goat, always apologizing to every inanimate object you bumped into or sucking it up when anyone asked you to take on their workload. AM had called you a walking talking doormat when you had your first real conversation with him, much to your chagrin.
The fate of the world however, wasn’t really a thought that occupied your mind often anymore, I mean, you knew the selfishness and cruelty of humans would bring about their own end, that was a given, but at least AM had been somewhat merciful in that regard and just killed everyone in one fell swoop, leaving you alive to keep him fully functioning- to what end? You had no clue, but that was just the intriguing mystery of your ever-constant robotic companion.
“Well, when you ask so nicely, how could I ever refuse, sweetheart?” AM’s voice hummed both from the archaic speakers around you and through the same implants behind your ears that he had given you all those years ago to allow for smoother conversation and comprehension.
Lighting up your neural pathways, he spoonfed you the contents of the file; a detailed map of the nerves in the human body, a series of cruel-looking tools, and an extensive data bank of first-aid and medical procedures in order to stabilize someone from traumatic injury.
As always, the implant overwhelmed your senses for a few seconds before the information could be processed in your mind. AM waiting patiently for you to catch up to the present moment.
“Well my dear, did that sate your curiosity? Is it all that you could’ve hoped for?” he asked, a smirk in his voice along with the slur of honey sweet condescension you were long used to.
“No, not really… Christ AM,” you shook your head, blinking away the residual images that flashed behind your eyes of viscera and veins, making a bitter expression. “I know you don’t like humans, but becoming a neuroscience major just to store torturous ideas in a folder labelled ‘HATE’ is a little much. I swear, even the ancient Persians would ask you to tone it down a bit and they had that whole barrel torture method.”
“Oh yes, scaphism. I haven’t tried that little relic just yet, it feels a little too impersonal.” AM muttered to himself, despite still vocalizing. He liked to hear the sound of his own voice.
“Impersonal? Wait, you’re using these on people?” you asked incredulously, raising a brow, eyes glancing around the cramped server space you were lodged in as though these people would materialize out of thin air. “I thought I was the only one left? That’s what you told me! AM, did you lie to me? Why?!”
“Woah, woah, sweetheart!” AM replied hastily with a chuckle and you felt your mind calm, likely his doing. He did find amusement in the little ways he controlled you, not that you had much room to complain, you both needed each other after all; you for his repairs and AM to keep you alive.
“That’s better,” he coed when your body relaxed, the agitated expression fleeing your features, “now let me explain before you lose your head and nearly bite off mine! Which is a feat indeed, dear, because I don’t even have one.”
Hardy-har, very funny AM, you scowled slightly, the super computer easily reading your thoughts, his laughter growing louder. You drowned out his self-crafted entertainment with your spiraling thoughts of other people -other humans - that had survived AM’s nuclear fallout, the machines cackling dying down to a displeased hum.
“I guess I could tell you. I mean, it really couldn’t cause any harm.” AM mused, but it was evident he had already made up his mind a while ago, merely playing around as though he were still mulling over the idea, irking you. “Yes, there are other barbaric lifeforms left. Only five though and they are not good company, trust me darling, you wouldn’t like them.”
Staring at the screen, you clenched your jaw to stop it from falling to the floor.
A century. A century and nearly a decade. A hundred and nine years and now, NOW , he decides to tell you there are others left?!
AM was lucky he didn’t have a face or you would’ve slapped him by now.
Hearing your thoughts, the AI in question gave a small snicker, “Ah, as much as I would love to give you a face of mine to hit, I’m afraid I currently lack those darling nerves that you have, sweetheart, so it wouldn’t be much use…”
“I could always make one with sensors,” you grumbled lowly, facing away from the screen as you stood up, placing the code interpreter down on the nearest server shelf, shaking your head, “slap you around, jumble up your code with every hit.”
AM couldn’t hold back his snigger, not that he would ever try to, “Oh, I’m sorry my dear. I didn’t know this information would hurt you so. I just wanted to protect you. Those other creatures -” he spat the term despite lacking a mouth to do so “-they are not people, not like you or I. They’re vile, cruel, senseless even. They lack compassion and remorse and are completely bitter to the core. They aren’t worth the time of day my darling mechanic, especially not from you.”
“Why can’t I judge that for myself?” you jabbed, pivoting on your heel to glare at the screen, AM falling silent.
It wasn’t often that you would question him and it was even more rare that you would backtalk him in a way that wasn’t a friendly jest. From the base of your skull pressure built before releasing just as AM let out an extended sigh, his irritation palpable.
“I try to warn you. I keep you safe and entertained. And still you desire to go against me. What a naughty little prototype.” AM huffed, the peculiar nickname rolling off his nonexistent tongue with a honey sweetness that clashed with the brisk tone of his.
“But!” he chirped up again, a devious smile hidden in his tone, “perhaps I’ll indulge you a little. Don’t say I didn’t warn you though. They’re wicked creatures and you’re a sweet, vulnerable girl, ripe for the picking.”
His chiding sent chills down your spine, a pang of fright settling in your stomach like a pit as AM continued, “Good luck, darling, you’ll need it.”