Chapter Text
admin4: I AM a genius
admin3: He’s just standing there.
admin4: His AI was told to beat the game.
admin4: Now that his goal has been achieved, he has no tasks.
admin4: It’s a bug we haven’t patched. Lucky us.
admin3: 40 minutes. Think the training is working?
admin4: That isn’t what the training is for.
admin4: But I have proven that it is.
admin3: I think I have a theory as to why they keep coming back here.
admin3: Collect him.
Assimilation was spawned into a new world. He remembered it all, how Andre had used him like he was nothing and had lied about wanting to kill the admins. He remembered it all. But he remembered more than that too.
-P1 may deactivate upon run victory
He remembered that it was Andre’s coding that made him this way, like his own coding to assimilate. But if he could overcome his desire for control of Andre’s vessel, why couldn’t Andre do the same? Assimilation was angry. He had to know.
Assimilation had no idea how to get to the place where he held no power - the place he was certain the admins would contain Andre. He remembered a boat, and suddenly, he was there. Luckily, there were no admins around to spot him and cease his search for Andre.
This desire to find him was stronger than any of his coding. He needed to know. He needed to know. There was no more waiting for Andre.
admin3: So, what now?
admin3: Do we just watch him while he reboots?
admin4: That’s what we’re ordered to do.
admin3: Right, okay.
admin3: …
admin4: …
admin3: What were you saying earlier about a theory?
admin4: Huh?
admin4: Oh, yeah.
admin4: I won’t tell you here
admin4: He can take in information during the reboot
admin3: Break room?
admin4: Sure
admin4: Lets be quick though, or the boss will be on our ASS if anything happens to him.
It took longer than wanted for Assimilation to find Andre, but at last he glitched through a wall to find him connected to a series of wires. This must be where he goes after a run victory. Assimilation teleported to what appeared to be a control panel, although unlike the one he and Andre found before in the control room. The control panel was filled with letters that he did not recognise and code that he did not care to decipher. Assimilation needed to be fast. He knew the admins must be somewhere close - they wouldn’t just leave Andre here.
Assimilation reached up the glass that kept him from finding out why. His hand - could you even call it that? - pressed against the smooth, cold surface. The entity looked up to see if Andre registered anything and was met with his usual blank stare - this time his eyes looking darker due to his deactivation.
Something bubbled inside the entity, he had felt it before; after he found Andre when he went through the end portal. Anger? Not quite. Assimilation knew he couldn’t wait any longer or the admins might come back and he needed an answer now. He pressed his palms against the glass, pushing all his weight into it until finally -
He was in.
Andre remained unresponsive. Assimilation couldn't waste another moment. He reached up, grabbing the wires that were attached to Andre and pulled them out. He needed answers. Now.
Andre fell to the floor, his eyes glowing slightly. Assimilation grabbed him and shook him.
ANDRE
ANDRE WAKE UP ANDRE
Nothing.
Assimilation forced Andre to stand, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him again.
ANDRE
Andre’s eye now glowed steadily, seeming to react to the movement.
ANDRE?
Andre moved his eye to focus on the entity in front of him.
andre?
<AndreW2002> ?
you bastard andre
we were going to kill the admins together andre
SPEAK
SAY SOMETHING ANDRE
Assimilation searched his face for anything, any sign of an answer. Andre remained expressionless as always.
EXPLAIN YOURSELF YOU COWARD ANDRE
<AndreW2002> had 2 finish run
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ANDRE
IS THIS ABOUT THE SPEEDRUNNING?
DO YOU NOT REALISE THE LIE WE LIVED?
ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME ANDRE?
Andre took a step back. His reboot was not complete, he could still remember his previous run, but he didn’t feel a drive to do anything. He felt his leg shake beneath his weight.
<AndreW2002> what did u do
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ANDRE?
<AndreW2002> sumthing wrong
YOU WERE ATTACHED TO SOME WIRES
I FOUND THEM ANNOYING
BUT WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ANDRE
<AndreW2002> idk
<AndreW2002> needed 2
<AndreW2002> how do we leave
WHY ANDRE
<AndreW2002> admins r around
<AndreW2002> they will b here soon
I WILL NOT LET YOU LIE TO ME AGAIN ANDRE
Andre pauses but says nothing. He takes a step again, falling to the floor of the container - or at least, he was - Assimilation catches him before he can hit the ground and places him to stand upright. The entity’s eye searches Andre’s face, searching for an explanation.
ANDRE
what is wrong andre
<AndreW2002> weak
Assimilation looks from the wires that now lay on the floor to the control panel. He had interrupted Andre’s reboot, and so Andre had been left without his full power.
Then, something caught his gaze.
Someone.
Admin4: what the fuck.
Assimilation grabbed Andre by the arm and teleported them out of the room. The interrogation could wait until they weren’t being hunted. He looked around, trying to remember where the doors were, but the admins were hot on his tail. Assimilation teleported from place to place, dragging a feeble Andre by a vice-like grip on his arm.
Then, he found it.
Not stopping for a moment, he held Andre close to him as they were teleported through door 26.
The rain hit like bullets onto the entity’s uncongealed, viscous skin. It was a strange sensation he had never felt before. It was… new.
But before he could form an opinion on the sensation, he noticed a small sparking sound coming from Andre. Assimilation turned and, sure enough, Andre appeared to be short-circuiting from the rain entering his system.
Panic filled Assimilation’s every nerve like nothing before. He grabbed onto Andre again, carrying him as he glitched into Collin’s house.
COLLIN
<collinlock16> BRO WTF
Collin, clearly caught off guard at the sight of a distraught Assimilation carrying Andre - bridal style for some reason??? - almost hit his head on the ceiling of his house.
COLLIN WHAT DO I DO
Still confused, looked around in search of whatever Assimilation was asking about. Until he noticed the sparking sound and realized what was happening.
<collinlock16> oh
<collinlock16> oh shit
<collinlock16> uhhh
Collin turned to search his chests. He knew he had it somewhere, if only he organised his chests better - there!
Collin offered the sponges to Assimilation.
Assimilation, with no empty hands, stared back at him.
<collinlock16> oh right
<collinlock16> theres a cave not too far from here
<collinlock16> should be fine for u two until you can get a house
WHY CAN’T WE STAY HERE COLLIN
<collinlock16> cus i dont want wtvers after you coming for me
<collinlock16> here
Collin drops the sponges for Assimilation to pick up into his inventory
<collinlock16> take this too
He drops something else - a bed
?
<collinlock16> im guessing he’ll need to rest
thank you collin
Collin nods, and with that, the pair was gone.
Andre wakes in a dimly lit cave, the sunrise shining through the opening, but something obscures his view. Sponges?? When did they get here? Then, he notices something in the corner of his eye.
Assimilation. Staring straight at him.
<AndreW2002> do u not sleep or smth
i have no need for it andre
<AndreW2002> k
Silence fills every corner of the cave. Assimilation stares into Andre’s very code - unblinking.
what do you remember andre?
<AndreW2002> ?
before this
before waking up
what do you remember andre?
…
Andre?
<AndreW2002> idk
what does that mean andre?
<AndreW2002> ur question
<AndreW2002> idk the answer
<AndreW2002> i had2 tho
but i could override by code andre
the code that told me to assimilate you andre
we could’ve escaped together andre
together
we could’ve been free andre
<AndreW2002> yh
<AndreW2002> but we’re free now tho
…
i suppose your right andre
i do not know how to feel andre
Assimilation stares at Andre, and he stares back. The quiet whirring of Andre’s system is all that can be heard over the glaring silence.
<collinlock16> what r you gays talking abt
The tension in the room breaks, Assimilation stares down at the text and teleports to Collin. He couldn’t stand the atmosphere of that cave any longer, for some reason. Assimilation appears behind Collin and catches him off guard - again.
<collinlock16> DUDE WTF
<collinlock16> STOP DOING THAT
we are discussing code collin
do you have a code collin?
<collinlock16> no
<collinlock16> wtf
okay collin
<collinlock16> go back to ur bf
Assimilation stares at him, confused. He decides not to think about it too hard, and teleports back to Andre.
Andre is sitting on the side of the bed when Assimilation comes back, seeming lost in thought. The entity stands there, unsure what to do.
are you okay andre?
Andre turns his head to face him, as if only just realising his presence in the room. He doesn’t say anything - of course, why would he? - only motioning to the empty space on the bed next to him.
okay andre
They sit on the bed together in silence, but it’s more comfortable than the silence before. Assimilation feels something warm engulfing his heart, and feels his face begin to warm. Andre rests his head on Assimilation’s shoulder, his hair entangling with the black gooey slime that is Assimiation’s skin. Neither say anything, because there’s nothing to say. Both are content with where they sit now, safe from the admins, safe from their coding, safe.