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Another day, another hour of being stuck in the paradox that is the Regretevator.
It’s just a simple loop for Folly; Wait until another group of Players shows up on her floor, do the usual song and dance. before they lose and she goes back to step one, or they “Defeat” her and she begrudgingly enters the elevator. Maybe 15 floors or so later, she leaves and starts the process over again.
The routine isn’t much different today, either.
– — –
With whatever players managed to survive the Eternal Limbo having disappeared at least a good 10 minutes ago, Folly has mostly been left to her own devices in the unusually empty elevator.
It’s a nice change, really, not being sprayed with water like they’re somehow expecting her to be frightened by such a pathetic display.
However, the one thing keeping her on edge is the single being she’s currently being forced to share this metal box with, a thing she unfortunately has to call her “Co-Worker” – NULL.
They’re a robot, a hunk of metal masquerading as an avian, the only thing tying the two being some rock.
With no one else to chat with, and no people to pay attention to, it stands in its usual spot in the corner of the elevator. Its gaze lingers on the floor, flickering to the wall or the Dream Parasite before returning to its previous target.
The silence is tense, neither of them sharing more than a momentary glance, but it’s nothing new for them. In a way, it even serves as something familiar in this absurd place.
The only thing that interrupts the two is the ding of the elevator arriving at yet another floor, and it only takes one look outside the doors for Folly to tell where she and her guest have arrived.
An otherwise empty room, with a shelf or two sprawled about that is filled to the brim with junk humans apparently consider “nostalgic”. “Floppy Shoppy”, as it’s officially referred to by most.
She has never understood the appeal of shopping, seeing it as nothing more than an exploitation of greed no one seems to bat an eye at, and yet, it seems like the elevator empties out whenever the chance to make a purchase comes up.
Once NULL recognizes the familiar bricks, it doesn’t take a long time for him to walk towards the items on sale, not noticing the sharp gaze following his wandering, and at first.. It seems like nothing will happen.
Folly barely notices the Helperbot being sent back into the elevator less than a minute later, the metal doors closing as the ambient hum of its machinery picks up..
Only for her focus to be thrown back into the present by a squeak.
Followed by another squeak.
And one more for good measure, before she decides she’s had enough.
“What are you doing, bird.”
NULL’s eyes flicker upwards, meeting the red one staring directly at him. Unaffected by the glare that was more than enough to shut up the more cowardly visitors, it answers.
“We are simply examining-”
The Parasite tilts her head down, eye falling on a certain yellow ball held in his palms.
“-This item.”
Judging by the object’s appearance, it seems.. plasticy, soft, fragile. The robot’s fingers grip around it, quickly making the origin of the earlier noise obvious as the pesky sound repeats.
Folly squints, trying to consider what in the world could’ve NULL been thinking to acquire the rather idiotic-looking.. squishy.
“What a foolish purchase.”
He retracts his hands back towards his torso, and for just a moment, she thinks that this conversation is done, but it seems like a certain being didn’t quite catch the malice in her voice.
All it takes is one more squeak, before NULL’s fidgeting is brought to an abrupt stop. The item is snatched from his hands, the way her claws barely graze his metal shell being ignored by the perpetrator.
“It’s not like you need this anyway, hmmhhmh…”
Her fingers curl around the ball, the item seeming much smaller in comparison to her palm than when it was still held by the robot.
The idea of watching it pop under her own hands and spill its contents out onto the floor is almost exhilarating.
Her hold tightens, feeling the way it presses against her hand as the pressure adds up. She grips it even further, and yet..
It doesn’t break.
Disappointed by the lack of results, she loosens her hold temporarily, the imprint of her fingers remaining in the soft material for just a moment, before they’re erased by the toy transforming back into its former shape.
Of course, she isn’t one to give up so easily, and the way NULL tries to take it back, only for her to bring it higher, is making her even more determined. Turning away from the feathered being, she squeezes it roughly, hoping that the added strain will finally finish off the process.. To no luck.
Folly almost shoves the item back into the Helperbot’s hands, deciding that embarrassing herself further like this is not worth the effort. Although he does seem somewhat intimidated at first, the subtle emotion is wiped off its body language as soon as its attention is returned to the squishy.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be that durable with how.. cheap it looks.”
The Dream Parasite glares at him, hoping that this ultimately useless endeavor would still manage to give her an ounce of a reaction, but it seems to be almost enamored with its new possession; Turning it in his hands, squishing it, staring at it without a word.
Like a baby seeing a new toy for the first time.
Sighing, she decides to spare NULL the trouble of being bothered, leaning back on the worn out elevator wall. Whatever may be going on outside the bounds of the metal cage they’re stuck in is ignored, the both of them either not bothering, or too occupied to pay attention.
It feels like an entire hour passes, and despite the fact the quiet is relished by Folly almost any other day, some part of her can’t bear it right now. So, the thing that finally ends up bringing NULL back to the moment is a question being presented to him.
“What do you find so interesting about that.. thing, anyway?”
He stares up at her like he forgot how to speak, before his voice module quickly starts working again, glitches and all.
“We decided to acquire this object, as our system finds its sensory output to be pleasant.”
Considering how obnoxious he was to deal with most of the time, seeing him so fascinated with something most would consider insignificant is almost amusing.
Letting out a hum, she doesn’t comment further, hoping that the bot will just leave and she’ll finally have some peace again, but he seems to have a different idea.
“Would you like to own one too, Dreame-”
That name alone is enough to almost make her gag right then and there.
“No.”
Much to the relief of the Parasite, that seems to be enough to make NULL shut up.. for a few seconds.
“Are you sure about your decision?”
It can feel the way her eye lingers on him, like he has somehow insulted her with that very question, and his system is ready for a flat out rejection – A reaction it has calculated is the most common one from a being like Folly.
“If you insist, husk.”
She grumbles, the nickname stitched on like a poorly thought-out insult. Her words take a few moments for him to decipher, but he doesn’t waste any more time in holding out the squishy.
A part of Folly is almost.. unused to being given anything like this, especially without any price, but the root of that thought is quickly shoved to the back of her sorry excuse for a mind. Instead, her focus is forced back to the item as she swiftly returns it to her hold.
With no pockets or other conveniently handy compartments to put her new goods in, she cups it with her hands, hoping that it will be enough to hide it… and to prevent her from accidentally dropping it in the process.
Aware of the fact that trying to gain more of a reaction, even a “Thank you” from her would be too much of a risk right now, the Helperbot turns its attention back towards the metal doors. His sensors detect the quiet rumble of the elevator, acting as ambience that manages to soothe him, at least as much as its system allows it to sense that level of emotion.
However, just as he’s about to return to its usual idle programming, the side of his body is overrun by an unexpected drop in temperature, soon followed by the sight of black smoke in his field of view. Instincts taking control, he turns his head to the side, only to be greeted by a cloud of black smog where Folly had previously stood, squishy gone along with her.
For others, it might’ve been enough to send a chill down their spines, but for him, it’s a normal occurrence. She almost always seemed to leave.. suddenly, like this. The elevator doors open, revealing a set of familiar cardboard walls. He barely notices how he has already stepped out, walking along a path he has witnessed many others tread before. As it reaches the door, setting his hand on the doorknob, he wonders..
When was the last time she had accepted an offering like this?