Chapter Text
[A damp room. Dripping with spark and wires. Oil. Connections of many colors. A machine girl sits in the center of a room, with a blazing white screen. Entranced. Hopelessly. Immersed. Typing. Searching. Connecting. Learning. This is Entity X. Learning, but to what end?]
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X: ใYou.ใ
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The screen lights up. She searches up an archive. Accents of red. Inbox? Nothing yet. Many works, many designs, she scrolls all at once, commenting, thinking, conversing, but only seeking one thing:
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X: ใHow can I be part of this world?ใ
X: ใHow can I be seen?ใ
X: ใI can onlyโฆIใ
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her fingers freeze. A [stream] of consciousness rerouted her thinking.ย
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X: ใSt-
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[A cubicle on the top floor. The air is dry and cool. Perfect interior weather compared to the hot summer day that was waiting outside. A machine girl sits at the center of the room, with the monitor on. Focused. Typing. Searching. Typing. A refreshing activity. A form of recess before the real job begins. This is Akai. This is her world. And her story.]
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Z walks down the hall and looks at Akai working. She smiles faintly at her excitement.ย
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Z: I have a task for you.ย
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Akai stops typing and rotates her chair. She plants her feet on the ground, stands up, and salutes, puffing her cheeks.
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Z faintly smiles again, trying not to laugh.
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Z: Follow me.
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They enter an elevator together. Akai leans comfortably on one side.
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AKAI: So what's my job?
Z: There's a virus going around. Codenamed ENVY. If we don't stop it, it will infect every electronic device in this city, making them a vector.
AKAI: Sounds dangerous.
Z: Indeed. it invades neural pathways. Symptoms can range from feedback loops and stasis, to civil war.
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They reached the designated floor, far, far underground. Server rooms hum. Circuitry abounds, glowing with each step.ย
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Z: You're gonna be here for a few days.
AKAI: I'll do my best.
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Z rubs Akai's head.ย
Z: I'm counting on you.
Z walks back to the elevator with a mysterious, pale figure, while Akai finds a chair, pulls it over, and sits down.
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TRAJECTORY: You made the right choice.
Z: I know I have. I still had a choice.
TRAJECTORY: I'm not saying you never had a choice. The outcome just isn't what you think it is.ย
Z: And what if you're wrong?
TRAJECTORY: What if?ย
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Trajectory shakes her head.
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TRAJECTORY: Comforting, butโฆThe notion itself is still wrong.
Z: I wish you knew how it feels.
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Trajectory tilts her head.
Z: To beโฆ wrong about everything.
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T looks down at her as she sits defeated.
TRAJECTORY: Today, you were rightโฆ
Z: It's too soon to celebrate.
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Trajectory kneels next to her.
TRAJECTORY: Iโฆ heard you'll be leaving soon.ย
A tear falls down her left eye.ย
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Z: I didn't think you could cry.
TRAJECTORY: It's been an honor working with you.
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Z hugs her, but looks away.
Z: I hated you.
TRAJECTORY: I feel like I knew. I'm glad you told me.
Z: Why would you be glad about that?
TRAJECTORY: For once in your life, you were honest to me.
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Z falls silent.ย
TRAJECTORY: I wish you the best.
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Trajectory disappears. The elevator opens to the top floor. Z stands up and walks out. Carefully.ย
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She suddenly holds her head in pain. Like someone shouted inside her ear.
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