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MeTag was designed for one thing and one thing only. Obey.
They were a tracking device yes but Steve Cobs made them specifically to obey him and him only, be there for his every command and follow every order to perfection.
MeTag wasn't the only, in fact “MeTag” isn't the correct way to call them, there are more like them, they aren't unique, there's at least hundreds that were sold to make objects lifes easier, but MeTag guesses it was easier for the objects on that island to call them that, so the robot complies. Point is, MeTag never once went against Cobs, they were in fact his personal robot, his right hand man.. Robot. They were loyal to him and only him.
And then Cobs died, killed by the same contestants he saw as nothing but tools and entreteriment. When MeTag saw his body on the island they had not reaction, they couldn't, Cobs didn't give them eyes or a mouth to speak out, he didn't give them a personality or a emotion emulator, MeTag was made to be neutral and neutral only, but still, somehow, they felt something.
Empty.
What were they without their creator? What purpose did they fufill now that Cobs was gone? There were no tasks to be done or orders to be followed, they felt empty and devoid of purpose. So they stuck around the island, they started helping the residents settle in in their new reality, it was a weird experience, seeing them trip all over themselves trying to figure the simplest things out, Cobs always had everything planned and organized, and MeTag wasn't used to it, but it was the closest thing of having a purpose they had.
When Suitcase asked them to join the security team, they agreed, not out of real want but it was a task they could complete. Paintbrush was the obvious leader, after Suitcase that is, and it was nice to finally have directions, to have that stability again, they liked being on the security squad.
And then Poppy happened, MeTag doesn't remember the mess that was when they first showed up, the screams and desperate panic get blurred from their memory as the only thing they could focus was on the scared and confused corn cob standing just a feet away. Same body, just smaller; same husks, just on top instead of the bottom; same eyes; everything on them screamed Steve Cobs, and something shifted on MeTag.
Obey. That was their only purpose, to be loyal, and their current task to protect got over writen to follow Poppy.
They were quickly to approach, with the intention to secure them as quick as possible, to keep them safe as they could, MeTag saw how Paintbrush tackled them to the ground earlier, Poppy wasn't safe around these objects.
Poppy was quick to befriend them as well, excited to have someone so eager to accept their person that they stuck to MeTag like glue, that worried them, would Poppy stick to anyone that was slightly nice? That's not safe, Cobs never trusted anyone easily, he knew how dangerous it was, but this young corn didn't. Poppy was naive, unlike MeTag ever saw.
In fact, the more time they spent together the more the robot noticed Poppy was nothing like they thought at first glance. Poppy was clumsy, and while they were smart they didn't know how to use most tools when it came to building or fixing; Poppy was lazy with their looks, their husks would constantly tangle onto each other, be dirty or messed, they also didn't mind getting covered in mud and dirt if needed; and abobe everything else, Poppy was affectionate, unbeliably so, they couldn't spend a moment around anyone without shifting closer, taking their hand or hugging them.
MeTag compares that to Cobs, he was always meticulous with his movements, quick to build and had steady hands; he cared A LOT about his looks, he was a CEO, constant interviews and meetings required him to keep his face and husks in check; and Cobs never once got closer than necessary to any of his workers and robots, in fact, he hated any type of contact.
MeTag runs all these informations and tries to piece things together, how can those two look so similar and yet be so different? Right, Poppy was a different object from Cobs, but they still came from him right? Then how can they be so uniquely diverse, it made no sense.
Their confusion only got bigger when they lost the second challenge, thanks to MeTag's mistake, they couldn't possibly expect Poppy to know sign language, and taking their hands of the wheel of a moving kart was not the brightess of ideas. So when they got out in last, and they saw how disappointed the corn was MeTag expected them to scream, to lash out about their stupid error, it was expect, it was planned, MeTag was ready for it. But Poppy didn't scream, they ran away to the nearest tree and started crying.
MeTag followed behind out of confusion and worry, which is insane, they weren't programed to feel that sort of stuff, Cobs never made them worry, but there they were, comforting Poppy as they hugged them and cried their eyes out. In that moment MeTag realized their objective had been severly compromised.
Poppy wasn't Cobs, Poppy was their own fragile and big hearted self, MeTag didn't have to take care of them because it was not onto their database to do so, they were not the corn's robot. But they're couldn't simply leave them here, this island will eat them alive, they'll destroy any hope of Poppy living how they deserve to, Poppy doesn't belong with them.
So MeTag made the reckless decision to call the outside world, they did already send monthly signals as protocol they couldn't control, but calling the outisde only meant trouble for them in the future, especially with the islanders, but they needed to get Poppy out. They were still Cobs’ kid, they would live much happier in a world that could actually embrace them. Their plans don't go as planned however and Poppy neither got answers and now Fan is hospitalized thanks to both of them.
The robot was placed in handcuffs and in the time-out corner, and couldn't help but lower their head at their own mistakes, what a useless helper they were, couldn't keep up with either mission, they failed to secure and failed to be useful, any other object would throw a broken robot like that away without second thought. But Poppy was visiting them right the next day.
MeTag didn't get it, why, they were clearly broken, past their use, so why did they stick around, why did they keep them. Poppy sits in front of them and excitdly show the book they “borrowed” from Cabby, about sign language, and clumsly move their hands around to try and spell something out, MeTag doesn't need them to learn that, they understand Poppy just fine, it's just something they use when simple motions don't communicate enough, why waste so much time on something for them?
MeTag watches as Poppy rambles about stuff they don't register, that corn in front of them is nothing of what they expected, they're new, they're unpredictable, they're lovable and they look at them like MeTag is a friend rather than a simple day to day tool. They suddenly feel all sorts of stuff they didn't before, they want to be with Poppy and help them, without their code playing a big part on it, they want see Poppy smile more, they want Poppy to be happy.
MeTag doesn't feel empty anymore. Poppy fills up that space just fine.