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trash bin PART TWO
| the pygmalion. . . ???  OPENING PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED _PROGRAM REBOOT? >N >SCAN PROGRAM . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . _EMERGENCY LEVEL LOADING LOADING. . . LOADING. . . LOADING TEXTURE-NIGHT-SKY, TEXTURE-FULL-MOON, TEXTURE-DIRT-PATH, TEXTURE-CAMPFIRE LOADING SOUND-CRICKETS, SOUND-GRAVEL, SOUND-WIND, SOUND-FIRE-CRACKLING UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOAD SUCCESSFUL TRASH BIN It feels more like an electrical zap than dying. Dying might feel a little bit more like falling asleep, but this is harder, more painful. If you've ever been electrocuted, the feeling might seem familiar; the discovery you make when you open your eyes, too, is likely very familiar. It's the night sky. Stars twinkle, a fire cracks warmly. You sit up and observe the surrounding area, and it's like you've woken up in some sort of canyon. The fire burns brightly, the moon shines beautifully, the crickets sing, and it is ... peaceful. Mostly. You know you're dead. This must be, then, the after life? Or something like it, at least. The horizon stretches on forever, the dirt and gravel seemingly endless. The moon is so big and bright, it's like you could reach out and touch her. There's a shed not too far from the fire, only but a stone's throw away, as if someone else might have made it, and then went inside it. Approaching it, you can see the light glowing inside it through the dusty windows that are littered with fingerprints. A computer screen, so large and wide that it's baffling, sits, waiting. Turning knob reveals that the shed is unlocked, and stepping inside... it doesn't feel any different from the outside. A chair sits in the center of the room, a strange contraption strapped to the head of it. It looks like it would lower itself upon the head of whoever dares to sit on it, and wires from it's bottom curl up towards the machines attached to the screen. Several smaller desktop screens sit beneath the giant monitor. They, too, are hooked up to the machines scattered around the room, to the ominous one perched on top of the medical chair, and they blink, as if fighting to stay alive without use. Pressing the giant monitor on, it lights up, and displays, strangely enough... a security camera feed. You push the button. It switches to another room. Again, another room. Again, another room. So on and forth. You peeping tom! But no one can blame you, in the end. You might as well digitally haunt the rest of the ship until the game ends, and AL-2955 can clean out the trash bin. ...Right? rule book taken characters information cards |
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[ Allen breath hitches in his throat and he has to blink back tears. Without answering, he draws her into a tight hug, burying his face into her soft hair. He might be trembling a little, but if it's her, she won't mention it, so it's all right. ]
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It takes a few seconds for her to react more than that. Once she does though, her expression softens and she gingerly pats Allen on his back. ] Allen...? What's wrong? [ A pause. ] Oh, I know. You accidentally burned another one of Lavi's books, didn't you? You know, I really don't he'll mind.
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... He has too many books anyway. And it was probably an accident -- the first time around.
[ He holds on a little longer, and it's so hard to remember she's not real -- because he loves her anyway, any form of her. All of her. Then he sighs and pulls back slightly, wiping his eyes.
There she is, even in the faint light of the lantern, she's as beautiful and warm as ever. Allen gives himself another moment or so to gaze at her, reaffirming his memories of her, basking in her presence again, even if it makes his entire body shake with want. He wants to see her again so badly; he misses her so much.
But -- that's not important right now.
Another breath and he pulls back completely. ]
Lenalee, where's Lavi?
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For Allen's sake, Lenalee lowers the lantern to make it harder to see his tears. ] You two are always going at it, even now. I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.
[ Before responding to Allen's question, she puts her index finger to her chin thoughtfully. ] And Lavi's... Let's see. He usually hangs around on the floor above this one. I think he said he was looking for something up there.
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He hesitates, and then: ]
Will you take me to him? [ There's a faint echo of a smile. At the moment, it's rather hard to muster up a real, fake one. ]
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If you want to apologize to Lavi for burning his book, you're going to have to do it yourself! [ Her pout fades quickly, leaving only a smile. ] Besides, I think it will be better if it's just the two of you. Think of it as another chance to bond.
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Allen croaks out a laugh and attempts to look as sheepish as he can. It's strained, and he's glad the darkness hides most of it. ]
Haha, you caught me. [ He looks down at her lantern. ] It's a little hard to see. Upstairs is... that way?
[ Picking a random direction because he knows she'll correct him. ]
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[ Simple enough directions! Who said this place was going to be like a maze with puzzles?
She holds up her lantern to Allen. ] Anyway, here, take this! It looks like you lost yours somewhere, and I think you need it more than I do.
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So he takes the lantern, and gives her one last smile. It's a real on this time, the edges trembling, and the lantern's light glints off his wet lashes. ]
Thanks. You're the best, you know that? [ He starts for the direction she indicated, firmly telling himself not to look back at her. ] I'll see you again, soon.
[ And he's off, eventually making his first right. ]