“One more hour, one more minute.” Like a broken record, I internalized my pleas for the universe to remain aligned while I continue to count sheep with my face buried in the chilly depths of a down pillow.

In hindsight, I should have addressed my prayers to one of the few properly functioning modules, the endearing; Persistent Energy Acclimation Regulator, just a fancy name for a bodily clock with a built in photosynthesizer.

I’ve never known what it is like to experience what a Human would call a 'dream', although I hear it is similar to a lawless, senseless and inexplicable simulation with a schizophrenic chimpanzee as the virtual conductor. To me, the organizing of data, in particular my most current memories were rewarded with a steady trickle of dopamine, not too dissimilar to that of an animal preening itself just before hibernation.

“Hmm, did the inventor of my sleep timer notice the acronym is ‘Pear’?"

If only I could make sense of what it meant to ‘thoughtlessly ponder’, I could properly describe my state of lucidity without it begetting a likeliness of a rambling dipsomaniac.

Beneath the bed sheets I’ve wound tightly around my body lies an aura of warmth, an almost too cozy sixty centigrade. From the safety of the low thread count hand spun woolen covers the euphemism; ‘to bite the pillow’, takes on a far more primitive and innocent form.

It is from this Command Center, alone and in the shadowy safety of my Dorm that I could finally trivialize my worries and ponder; had my serial number been an intelligible string of letters and numbers, would I have been given a proper name?

Maybe it was better to think that at some point, I’ve forgotten because I found my real name that much more detestable or maybe, this R&R is slowly having a degenerative effect on my well-being.

Throughout the many layers of the armored shell I’ve accumulated it is the scratches, fractures and score marks that serve as a reminder of my mistakes and follies. On the surface, I’ve given it my all to hide these imperfections with uncanny perseverance and it is only now I have found both the time and the place to count the scars before I apply another layer of armor.

Slate… Lotte… Tesla-Trinket… Aude, or is it: Aud~de? And now Lux and Faust, it seems poor Cole is the only person with a name that would have fit in back in the proper 1940s. For some reason, my meandering urges the thought of what my Master would think if he were still here with me… and whatever did he mean when he often said; ‘Together, with your hands we will build a brighter future for everyone’, how would he react to the irony; the world in its entirety has fallen into shambles, and my hands continue to sit idle.

I always disregarded that saying as a metaphor, possibly implicating me as the solution to the acidic pollution often accompanied by the notorious ‘Red Rain’. If stabilizing the Earth’s ravaged climate pattern is what he meant, I suppose he had succeeded to some degree. Not long ago I took note of the Sun’s rays penetrating the clouds which on occasion, were not so alkaline with heavy metals and chemicals from a century’s worth of industrial negligence.

Although I’m not entirely aware of the details leading to what some would call the end of the world least as we knew it, I could recall an incident with the destruction of the deified Hawking International Space-Station which controlled the Faster-Than-Light ‘Jump Gates’ to the Gaia Planet, Eden, my birthplace and one all Lilims could call home.

The media spoke of sabotage, a great accident, and many conspiracies in between. From another fragment of my memory; there was a space-faring ship, a scientific vessel returning from a long voyage in search of habitable planets for the rapidly expanding population of Beastkin, Synthetics and Humans. During its exit through Earth’s Jump Gate, a collision occurred, which had previously thought impossible.

With the loss of the Hawking, the rings of the Jump Gate folded in on themselves cutting off Earth’s ability to reach and communicate with its sister planet Eden. With out mutual relationship of exporting what little resources Earth retained and importing what surmounted to world-wide welfare, Earth was left to fend for itself amidst the anarchy of mega-corporations seizing control.

Those events were well over 500 years ago and for much of that time I had been in Hibernation Mode, silently waiting for someone to unearth me from the rubble during a time where terrorist bombings and rebellious uprising we rife. It only took a single match, let alone a Molotov against the skeleton crew manning the government to set Earth ablaze. To this day, I'm certain the ultra-rich who sought refuge on Mars watched the world burn with a cocktail in hand.

In the history books I studied in my brief childhood, there was a time of global unity brought by the brightest who took the torch into the abyss in search for Eden- knowing it would be a venture of uncertainty and that not even their children’s children would return.

Five generations of Star Sailors, each taught by the previous generation, had given their lives to alleviate the boiling tension brought on by the burden of the wealthy Elite’s insatiable greed.

During their voyage, a few infamous recordings eventually made their way back to Earth detailing the Sailor’s incredible hardships. Of the most notorious and one that intended to remain classified; the third generation Star Admiral’s Log detailing the recycling of the deceased to supplement their dwindling food supply, but it would not be a typical case of cannibalism, these Star Sailors knew their end meant that their bodies would be processed in an Organic Matter Reclamation Unit; a technology not known to the public at the time which had been in use for decades as Earth could no longer sustain itself.

From their mental anguish of solitude and confinement, the physical toll of space-travel and the many other hardships brought about by the innovative technology, those first five-hundred to reach Eden’s orbit were more than an inspiration. They brought every corner of the world closer together, and for the longest stretch in Human history, wars did not exist.

Sure famine, poverty and corruption ran as rampant as ever, but when I draw upon the memory of my glorified picture book in my youth, those caricatures of the Star Sailors instilled me with a sense of wonder. Memorialized at Eden’s Gate and forever revered as heroes, the spotlight would eventually concede to those faces that brought about newer and greater advancements in technology, including the revolution of Artificial Life from the neon drenched streets of Eden’s Neo-Japan.

For so long I bumbled along, drifting with the current wondering when the undertow to grant me peace. I’m a little apprehensive in saying; perhaps I’ve been alive for too long as I can still remember how often my Master would tell me that I have ‘Justice in my veins’ – despite the lack of his parental presence and mentoring, I'd like to think I've learned well on my own. If only he had the foresight to see, having lived so many lifetimes, I've accumulated far to many sins and regrets for my shoulders to burden.

And still…

I’ve called it quits on many occasions, so I must adorn the mantle of a hypocrisy when I admit; Life always finds a way to bewilder me and take my breath away.

Once my all-time low is redefined another ten-meters below and I shout to the heavens the admittance of my defeat, I’m left looking up towards the sky and there I always find the silver lining amid the expanse of twilight’s shining stars. This hole that I’ve dug for myself has become so entrenched I’ve lost my orientation and the sky is no longer visible. My nails have all but bent backwards endlessly clawing towards the surface, and my lungs are burning for air.

So far along the way; I’ve discovered many hidden oddities I would otherwise have never noticed on the surface- they sparkle, reminiscent of the stars and seldom they become my precious few possessions.

They are people who have lost their way; just like me.

Sometimes they share their findings or steal what little air remains, but one thing is for certain; until my body is dead and dry, I will keep searching until I bore into the depths of Hell or carve my way to Heaven’s Gate. If I keep going, one day, I am certain I will find the proverbial light, and perhaps even a meaning to it all if it meant my Master would be proudly waiting for me on the other end.

If for some reason what I’m to discover is merely a myth; then I will create it as per my Master’s instructions. After all I am, we all are- Creators.

“Share your warmth with those in need. Walk in the light of those burning alongside you, and to those who would steal your fire; reduce them to cinders! Return them to dust!!”

“I’ve heard of eye for an eye and in some perverse cases; a hand for a loaf of bread, but death by double incineration? Gee, I wonder who’s shriveled brain-stem thought to read a child that particular bedtime story…”

An overwhelming wave of dread shook me through my pillow and doubled with intensity the moment my eyes fell upon a silhouette leaning in from my dormitory’s narrow entrance.

“Ah~♪! What a relief! You actually made it to your room this time! I hope you find it accommodating while you get accustom to living in our homely grotto -if you choose to stay with us, of course!”

“T-Tesla!” I shrieked, tossing the bed sheets into the air. “W-What are you doing here?!”

“Time for the Sleep-Talker to pay the Piper of course!” She grinned deviously, folding her hands together against her cheek with a spritely energy. “You haven’t forgotten what day it is have you?!”

As the pastel colored linen engulfed me with its powerless yet satisfying assurance of invisibility, the way out had been made obvious. By playing the fool to the irony of the fabled Piper, I could gauge Tesla’s disposition before committing my memory to spoken truth.

But as often as the disquieting sensation playing havoc inside my chest would subside with Logic’s emerging guidance, this time, I could almost sense the circuit board containing the emotionless guardian trembling were it possible.

Through shear enthusiasm and an impatient beckoning to hurry out the door, I knew there would be nothing in the way of reasoning with with the Mayor. I may have well stepped into a deluge of statically charged hands to dress myself, and I’m not entirely sure they were my own.

Having been abruptly pulled from my slumber, the background task of consolidating my memories seemingly doubled the rate at which the world moved round me. Not even my seemingly infallible ability to play dumb let alone pull the wad of my stockings riding up my rear would not buy me one second before I had been thrown into the blinding light of the hallway.

Left with juggling the circus of her incredible pace and aimless direction, I asked something along the lines of; "What’s the hurry or are we late for something!?" only to be bounced along the crowded walkway like a ping-pong ball. If one were to add in the futility of correcting the over-sized nightwear someone graciously left on my nightstand the night before, this performance spectacle could easily pass as a suitable punishment.

If only that were the case…

Before I could fully voice my protest, we came to a halt after the crowd parted allowing access to a set of doors I would have otherwise overlooked. Although there was a noticeable discrepancy in their modern appearance, air-piston or hydraulic doors were still somewhat common in this present day of crude electronics, diesel-everything and manual-mechanical affairs. Having been aware of this, it was never the less foreboding for a reason I couldn’t quite place.

“Something the matter? It’s just a door.” Tesla beamed as the shifting bodies regained their flow, following a pause and rolling murmur. “This doesn’t look familiar to you? Consider me jealous! You’re in for a real treat then!”

Wadding up my ignorance and shooting for the rubbish bin, her coos of excitement would have been better set in a mocking tone. As simple as it would be to refuse or rebel, my Logic left me dangling on a knife's edge without the slightest inclination as to what was happening.

“Oh~ what an adorable face! You really don’t remember anything! I can’t wait to see how you’ll react this time around; it’s rare I get to treat anyone to such an extravagant date! – and here I thought you might have stood me up~♪!”

Ignoring the flirtatious lisp leaning heavy on her every word, we slipped past the door which notably opened a fraction of its perceived potential. On the inside, the auspiciously illuminated room did little in the way of revealing any of its secrets at first and second glance.

Seated in the center, a pair of slab-tables were the epicenter vying for attention, but as I examined their featureless brushed-steel surfaces, the door now at our rear locked from the outside in the faintest, certainly intentional, muffled click.

Going back on my apprehension and for reasons beyond all understanding, all the uncertainty faded without cause for alarm; not even when Tesla suddenly broke from my side, separating us on adjacent ends of the two tables.

“Doesn’t this warmth feel nice?” Tesla trilled, holding up her arms as if to bask in the artificial sunlight pouring forth from a thick filament inside an industrial bulb.

It was then I noticed that the photo voltaic cells deep within my skin had been absorbing their fill since our entry, replenishing through a trickle, my dire need for a stable reserve of energy.

“Is this a Reclamation Chamber? I’m not sure if I should ask; why or how?”

“Close guess, but shouldn’t the answer to both questions be rather obvious?”

“I can’t think of anything other than one of those promiscuous Solar Bars they used to advertise on TV back in the day… B-But that’s not what this is, right? You don’t have Habu stashed somewhere in the floor dressed as a Bartender, do you? Heheh...”

“As entertaining as that thought may be, I regret to inform you there is no alcohol or my loyal servant! So why don’t you come over to my table and relax! Last time you immediately recognized this place, and I have to say you were rather elated! Fufu~!”

Patting the surface of the table as if to beckon me over, Tesla’s simpering held no discernible trace of malicious intent despite her coy propensities. In hearing what I recognize now as her trademark breathy giggle, it was as if I had drawn on the well of forgotten memories, only to retrieve droplets of something else entirely.

Whatever the substance that lies at the bottom of the bucket, it was enough to blindly confide my trust while her familiar smile served as a distraction. Indubitably, I had seen it somewhere before. If it were not for those missing hours, I could say for certain why this photographic tangibility was more than just déjà vu and why it hit so close to home.

“Do I have your permission?” Tesla hummed with a somber, yet comforting tenor. “Surely, you recognize this scenario by now?”

As I lay facing the ceiling, a cluster of auxiliary connectors dangled directly overhead. Five in total, each could not be any more identifiable than an extension to one’s body.

The Trinity; individually colored, Blue represented the wire that transmitted every sensory input from touch to taste.

Green formed a pipeline from a Neural Drive and the many individual modules capable of SEED-Memory.

Red, the arterial highway of insight. Only in whispers it is referred to as ‘The Red String’ between Lilims. Of the Trinity, it is the most personal bond which isolates our A.I from the rest of our body for diagnostic scrutiny.

The two remaining cables inseparably bound by the thick rubber linkage known as Harmony were equally critical in undergoing maintenance, though their purposes couldn’t be more varied. Due to their versatile nature of moving physical materials, the tips of each connector locked in place upon contact as a variety of Coolants, Oils, Synthetic Blood, Nanite Paste, and many other semi-liquids could be replenished, exchanged or expelled simultaneously.

It appeared in light of all my fears I had been undergoing maintenance during the most recent gap in my memory? If I said I was surprised, I may as well be lying. Such a revelation trumped any conceivable notion to the point I was left questioning everything as I once did in my childish ignorance, expressly; how the hell could this kindness really be deserved by the likes of me..?

Never have I felt so incredibly lost, and with such a powerful sinking sensation in the depths of my chest likened to quicksand, there wasn’t a sliver of doubt against my fading memory such a predicament has ever occurred before.

From the corner of Tesla’s mouth, a reluctant wince began to form as a result towards another leaky expression on my behalf.

“Awh~ This again?” She sighed, visibly frustrated by my irresolution. “Look, if you keep dawdling long enough, I wont be able to preserve your N-Drive! If all this apprehension is from our little spat: I – FORGIVE – YOU! Now, do I have your permission to make a connection?”

“Yes, you may… but before you do… . . . . .Why?”

“If you're asking why about before; I was testing you, but if you're asking about my reasoning for helping you consider it an olive branch. I'll admit, I was the one who poked the bear and got what I deserved, hence why I'm asking your permission this time before fiddling with your Aux ports.”

“Did you... find what you were looking for?”

Cheeks flustered by my incessant thirst for answers, Tesla slipped into her native tongue as she face-palmed.

“тихое время! And then some! You were always an altruistic brat, but by the heavens were you really this sulky?! Maintenance Mode - NOW!! There’s no point in answering any more questions if your N-Drive fails and there's nothing left of you to preserve!”

Swallowing a large gulp of air, one line repeated as a connection to my Auxiliary ports were initiated and my world was replaced by lines of diagnostic script.

You were always…?

Were…!?! What did she mean!?! -AH!

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ – sᴛᴀɴᴅʙʏ]

[ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʟ ᴏs ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘᴀʀsᴇ sᴛᴀꜰꜰ-ɪᴅ. ᴜsᴇʀ: ᴛᴇsʟᴀ – ɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛᴏʀʏ]

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ɢʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ! ᴇxᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ᴀᴅᴍɪɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀʀɪᴅᴇ - ᴇɴᴀʙʟᴇᴅ!]

[sʏsᴛᴇᴍ: ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴍᴅ ://ᴅxᴅᴀɪɢ64ɢʙɪᴛ: ᴛᴏᴛᴀʟ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴅɪᴀɢɴᴏsᴛɪᴄ sᴜɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴠ.9ʙ]

[ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʟ ᴏs: ᴄᴜsᴛᴏᴍ ꜰɪʀᴍᴡᴀʀᴇ - sʜɪ ɴᴏ ʀᴏ̄ᴛᴀsᴜ ᴠ347.9ʙ2]

[ɴᴇᴜʀᴀʟ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ: ʜɪᴛᴀɪᴄʜɪ ᴘᴜʟsᴀʀ ᴍᴋ.ᴠɪ] [sᴇʀɪᴀʟ ɴᴏ. ᴛ77ᴀ4-ᴛ25ʟ12-ʟ9ɢ11]

[ᴀᴅᴍɪɴ: ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ! ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ!]

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴘʟᴜɢ-ɴ-ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴅᴇᴠɪᴄᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ – ᴀᴜᴛᴏᴍᴀᴛɪɴɢ sʏɴᴀᴘᴛɪᴄ ʟɪɴᴋ… . . . . ʟɪɴᴋ sᴜᴄᴄᴇssꜰᴜʟ!]

[ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴋ; ----- ᴇʀʀᴏʀ, sʏɴᴛʜᴇᴛɪᴄ’s ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ ɪᴅ ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ! ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀᴛɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ - ᴇɴᴀʙʟᴇᴅ! ʀᴇsᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴀᴍ!]

[ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴋ; ᴜɴᴠᴇʀɪꜰɪᴇᴅ ᴜsᴇʀ! ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ, ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀʏ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ ʟᴀʙ ᴛᴇᴄʜɴɪᴄɪᴀɴs ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴄʜᴇᴅᴜʟᴇᴅ ʀᴏᴜᴛɪɴᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ! ᴀs ᴀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅʟʏ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇʀ, ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ-ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴄᴏɴsᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇs; ꜰᴇᴇʟ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜᴛɪʟɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇʟᴀx ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴡɪɴᴅ! ᴇsᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʀᴇᴘᴀɪʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ- ‘ɴᴜʟʟ, ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ -ᴜɴᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ- ɪɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀᴛɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ!’ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛᴇᴄʜɴɪᴄɪᴀɴ’s sᴜᴘᴇʀᴠɪsᴏʀ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ɪɴǫᴜɪʀɪᴇs! ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀʏ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴄʜᴇᴅᴜʟᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴍᴇɴ-ᴛᴇᴄʜɴᴏʟᴏɢɪᴇs ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ sᴘᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴏʀᴛ!]

[sʏsᴛᴇᴍ: ʙʀᴇᴢᴢɪɴɢ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴏᴘᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴᴘᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴅᴇ!!!]

[sʏsᴛᴇᴍ: ᴄᴀsᴛɪɴɢ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴏᴘᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴏᴜᴛᴘᴜᴛ ʀᴇʟᴀʏ!!!]

[sʏsᴛᴇᴍ: ᴘ2ᴘ sʏɴᴄʜʀᴏɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ sᴜᴄᴄᴇss ʀᴀᴛᴇ 79.11%! ᴛᴜɴɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴇᴛ ʟᴏss!]

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ʜᴏsᴛ ᴘɪɴɢ .000023ᴍs @ ɪᴘᴠ512 ᴘʀᴏᴛᴏᴄᴏʟ, ʟɪᴠᴇ ǫᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴇsᴛᴀʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ, sᴇɴsᴏʀs ᴀᴛᴛᴜɴᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!]

[ᴀᴅᴍɪɴ: ɢᴏ ᴏɴ, ᴏᴘᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs! ᴇʜᴇʜᴇ~!]

At the close of the prompt, Tesla’s voice had been drawn into existence from nothingness. From above and below, this void was inescapable, growing lighter with hue until light refracted through the surface over a gentle wave.

Meanwhile, beneath me the darkness continued to recede, fighting against the piercing rays of light until they were all but suffocated by the great expanse of entrancingly colored coral and soft ripples of sand as far as my digital optics could perceive.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Tesla's voice echoed through the false reality as an explosion of reef fauna traced itself into existence, generated by complex algorithms, polygons and textures. “Aposematic, the colors of the lion fish are so alluring to us, but a warning to predators. I’ve always thought it better to be the other way around. Intrinsically we avoid things we find detestable, but I guess life is just not that simple.”

“As if there’s not enough ugly in this world… Maybe that’s Nature or God’s way of being humorous or that life is just one big cliché- but what did you mean when you said; ‘always were’?”

In response to my insistence, a massive forest of kelp arose from the sea floor scattering the light and permeating the water with a rolling blanket of tingling bubbles all like a blanket enveloping me.

Outside of this virtual realm of infinite possibilities and surrealism, I could venture a guess that my nerves were being stimulated through the course of my maintenance. From within the virtual space, I felt Tesla’s presence although her physical body was nowhere to be found.

That’s when I realize I too had no body, until I willed it into existence as did the world around me.

“I didn’t take you for the religious sort, Fragile~! From the day we found you, you reeked of something feral, uncouth, like predatory animal with a gaze that can ensnare prey well beyond your modest stature.”

“Now that you’ve expressly forgiven me, I don’t feel so bad about throttling you for a second time! Stop with the semantics and avoiding my question!”

On the verge of shouting, my frustration spilled over and into my surroundings causing the picturesque lulling of kelp fronds to shatter like the fragments of a mirror.

At first, I sensed hesitance in Tesla’s voice, and for a moment I detected a twinge of severity in her struggle to find an appropriate answer, if any. After clearing her throat ever-so briefly, the Machiavellian tenor regained control.

“Did you ever take into consideration that I must stage the answer to avoid misinterpretation? If I were blunt about it given our little incident-”

“Then you do know me from the past?!” I interjected, scanning the endless abyss for the source of her voice.

“Ah, well I guess you’ve caught me by my lil' bunny ears. I don’t suppose you’ll let me finish painting the background so that you might understand the context? Doesn’t the ‘when’ equate to more importance than a simple yes or no?”

“You gave me the impression this was merely maintenance and archivin--”

“-And we are in the meantime! Faust and Lux here are more than qualified to handle our monthly routine!”

“W-What!? I don’t have a repair manual Miss Tesla, I need a qualified mechanic for extensive maintenance and those are all extinct!! I thought we were just going to recharge my batteries and reallocate sectors of my N-Drive!?!”

“Oh relax~! By now I’m sure you’ve realized Faust’s body is made of BioMetal, and she’s got a very fine eye for details on the molecular level”

“A-And what are Lux’s qualifications!? She nearly blew my damn head off the moment I walked in the door!”

“And yet you’re still here! That scrappy dingo is as harmless as a child in a straitjacket. There’s a reason why she’s been cooped up here and not scavenging on the surface with the others. There hasn’t been anything Slate’s dragged in that she couldn’t put back together- that girl has talent with those hands of hers~♪!”

“I’m a bit more complicated than a crusty DSL Modem or this bulk model VR server you’ve hooked us up to! Please, be straight with me; what happened the last time I was here- or was I ever here to begin with?!”

“Indeed, you were…” She stated plainly as the fizzy ocean dissolved into a solid surface beneath my feet.

Little by little, four walls and a roof constructed itself until the details became clear that this place was construed from my memories.

“I’m sure you realize where we are by now. The last time we met, we discussed many things, none of which are terribly important to you other than this is your reward for making it this far, or rather, I should say; this deep.”

“You’re aware of my egregious mental capacity yet you’re still holding me accountable in an arrangement I can’t recall?”

As a modern door frame pertaining to my era arose from a dark ink lapping at my toes, Tesla appeared through the other side as if it were magic, and with each step she took, the interior design of the room followed suit, flowering into existence with the ferocity of a mad painter.

Once the fairy-tale animation of the furniture settled and the orb of citrus sunlight bathed us from the tall panoramic windows, Tesla designated my seat on a black pleather futon I had seen somewhere before.

“The very reason why I haven’t disciplined you is because of your mental state, so hush now child- let it go. Surely this place familiar to you? It should be. Most of it was reconstructed from the damaged sectors of your N-Drive. We can keep building this place together until it all comes back to you.”

“I think... I'm starting to remember... There were not many buildings on Earth let alone Eden that stood over ten-thousand feet above sea level... but everything is still enveloped in haze.”

“Alright Dearie don’t give your ‘Master’ too much credit. This building is tall, but it was already built on a foundation sitting three-quarters of that height. It’s a shame about the view, though, but I suppose your designers didn’t have a choice nor did they care about such trivial things as they find enjoyment in the dreary light of a laboratory. ~Isn’t that right, Lux?”

Continuing to shift uncomfortably in my virtual seat, Tesla paused to look up in a random direction as if conversing with an invisible entity. From whatever answer she received, Lux’s perverse smile returned in an instant, physically pushing me to retreat further into the stiff cushion until the hard buttons stabbed my rear.

“Lux is curious about the bruising on your peach.”

“Peach...? P-Peach!?! T-That area is not a part of basic maintenance! Besides, she’d be better off asking Slate~eh~eh!?!”

Mid-sentence, the mere mention of Slate’s name sent Tesla’s eyes alight.

“N-n-no-no-no-no! Do-not-mishear-me! He freaking kicking me between the legs with those steel-toed boots of his and I ran out of Nanites before I could finish cosmetic repairs! If you do not tell Lux the truth I will break through this server and incinerate the lot of you!!!”

“You know you really give up a wealth of information just by your expressions. Didn’t you state in the beginning you did not feel the need to be embarrassed about your body when we first found you? That you did not want to bother Habu for clothing and the many time’s you sent Slate into an anemic nosebleed coma?”

“W-Well it’s a little different with Lux, I think she outright professed her feelings for me within minutes of us meeting for the first time. A-And things have happened since then! I can’t toggle my emotions as well as I used to!”

“Things happening with Slate? Do tell~♪!”

“No! What are you, my Mother!? Why must you keep asking me these useless questions!? Why the hell did I every agree to you bringing me here!?”

“Hush now, I'm trying to upscale the resolution by tapping into your Logic unit to paint you a better picture, of course. Now that I've gauged your flavorful reactions, I don’t think you’re ready to hear the truth...”

“You know me from somewhere that much I’ve gathered- and If you recognized this place as my home, you must have been involved with my Master to some degree- and by how much you’re leaning heavily on context, the only thing that would send me into a spiral is if somehow you were my Mother or my Master; both of which I can easily disprove!”

“I'm glad you were able to deduce as much without the help of your Logic unit! A gold star for you! You are correct in stating the obvious, but~ this residence of yours isn't exclusively built upon your memories. Take the flooring and the appliances for example, this is how they should look when I remove the predictive algorithms filling the gaps.”

Tapping her index finger on a nightstand that once served as a resting place for many newspapers, the carpet rolled over revealing a black marbled flooring and at the same time, the appliances receded into the counter-tops only to be replaced by lab miscellaneous equipment of no discernible purpose.

“Are these from… your memory?” I asked cautiously.

“Again with the obvious... This is about as far as we got before you froze-up and B.S.O.D'ed on me the last time. Do you think you can handle seeing... Him?”

I did not even so much as open my mouth before the sound of footsteps approached me from behind and a hand placed itself over my crown, mussing my hair about with a vigor I could have never forgotten.

“It would seem my little Ocelot’s all grown up! Look at this hair, you’ve cut it short, yet you still refuse to brush it yourself! Well, I guess it can't be helped. At least now I can't scold you for letting it grow past your rump!”

I-It can't...

“M-Master…?”