In my mind, I knew this was nothing but a fabrication, but my senses were telling me everything other than the minor graphical hiccup was real. My heart, my Core so conflicted with having been returned to the past felt as if it would leap out of my chest at any moment so I couldn't help but to brood in silence as Tesla prattled on about the finer details most of which I completely ignored. Who or what was sitting across from me had me completely enthralled.

My Master… Height 163cm, weight roughly 73kg, whispy hair and kind dark eyes. I’m not sure what my expectations had been surmounting to, but everything about him and this visage of the past just seemed a tad... off?

His lab-coat appeared custodial rather than my memory of a lab technician by the way his sleeves were rolled. Absent of the notorious charcoal grey color, the uniform sported the characteristics of a boiler-suit in a drab olive green. If only I had a second to myself to fiddle with the pieces of the puzzle, I might attain an allusion to an answer.

“Yoo~hoo~! Fragile? You didn’t lock up on me again, did you?”

Continuing to ignore Tesla who had been standing at the wall of glass overlooking the flickering lights at the heart of the city, I arose from the futon and approached the stranger who in turn, raised his brow expectantly as I put half the length of my arm through his digitally reconstructed face.

“What is this NPC’s level of mentality? Is it merely an actor pawn, or can it give me a straight answer?”

Much like before, my Master’s hand came to rest upon my head and even though this was all merely a reconstruction, the unlocked potential of the mind dredged up what had been missing for far too long.

“Is that anyway for you to act in the presence of company, Ocelot?”

“Do not call me that-!” I recoiled with fire stemming from the tip of my tongue. “I don’t remember any of this, least of all you!”

For a moment, my target switched focus as I caught the tail-end of Tesla’s sniggering, but the instant our eyes met, she deflected her gaze.

“I’m still me; your Grantor, Caretaker, your Master- whatever you wish to call me. If you can recall; I was never allowed to tell you my real name, and since this Virtual Reality Instance is based off memories, I can’t give you a reason as to why. You called me Sensei after we met for… I think maybe sometime in our third week having made one another's acquaintance. Do you remember why?”

“I won’t be made a fool, that’s rhetorical! You just said so yourself!

“Then, you wouldn’t mind if I reiterate for our guest? You refused to let me call you anything because I didn’t have a name for you to call me. We hadn’t anything but our ID’s in common; and even so, yours was the exception to an intelligible mess when spoke aloud.”

Dawning on the memory’s gown, the enactment did not contain anything reminiscent of innocent prattling. It was nothing short of hostility for precisely fifteen days straight after meeting with the man I would eventually recognize as the blood of my heart and the essence of my soul.

Back then, I loathed this stranger barging into my life.

I hated his persistence.

I wanted absolutely nothing to do with Humans, Beastkin, Sythetics- hell even other Lilim, especially after undergoing maintenance and from the day I was born, I knew I didn’t ask for this; this thing called ‘Life.’ I just had to be made different, so isolated, and yet the center of attention with expectations that could crush diamonds with ease.

Despite this festering truth; from the day I met him, I longed so much to have anyone to call a friend, even though I did not possess a most basic understanding of what friendship possibly entailed. My chest hurt, balled into a knot I could not begin to understand. Only now in hindsight I realize that the sensation was that of longing... to fit in, to not be so lonely.

“You didn’t warm up to it until we both tried pronouncing the thirty-two digits on my security clearance card. Now that I think of it, that was the first time you laughed.”

We were by definition; Star-crossed, forged from dissidence, mistrust and even fear; just like in the fairy tale picture books I secretly cherished because we were meant to be... family...

“In fact; you laughed so hard you gave yourself the hiccups, and then wound yourself up into a panic worried that Maintenance would scold you for somehow ‘breaking yourself.’ Do you remember what name you gave those people in the Maintenance Division? Something along the lines of ‘Floozies,’ is that right?”

"(No, I called them annoying pains in the ass! ‘Uzai’ Please, Master, speak Japanese. Why must you make everything so easy for Telsa to understand!?)"

His bottomless dark eyes paired with that everlasting smile willed me to cease my aggression and even though there were only an imitation, a digital illusion that still somehow managed to stir my heartstrings.

Yet… Despite this all being an illusion, I found something more than just the ghost of my past.

“You do remember.” The stranger sitting before me hummed and cocked his head. “Enthusiastic pragmatist; that's how my colleagues described you in our notes before our very first introduction. You lived up to always being so impulsive and hard-headed with a short fuse, but once I really got to know what lays beneath that thick armor, your tantrums often ended up in tears… or hiccups.”

In binding my fingers to my throat in fear that the shortcomings of my past would come back to haunt me with vengeance, a tiny window prompt in the corner of my eye came into view.

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴍɪss ᴍᴇ? ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ʀᴇᴄᴏʀᴅᴇᴅ ᴄᴀsᴇ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜɪᴄᴄᴜᴘɪɴɢ-ꜰɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴏᴄᴜᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀ sɪx ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ᴀɢᴏ. ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ; ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴛᴡᴏ ᴊɪɢsᴀᴡ ᴘᴜᴢᴢʟᴇs ᴄᴜᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴅɪᴇ-ᴘᴀᴛᴛᴇʀɴ. ʙʟᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘɪʟᴇs ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇs ꜰɪᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟs ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ.]

“So, is there anything else you want to ask me? I haven’t seen such a passive tenor since you learned what it means to be a family.”

“Oh, this will be interesting!” Tesla chimed in with a sing-song rhythm to her voice. “Sen~sei~♪! You can tell me all about pint-sized Fragile!”

As their conversation carried on in my state of mental absence, I continued a form of banter all of my own.

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴇᴀsᴛᴋɪɴ ᴄʜɪᴄᴋ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴏʀᴍɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sǫᴜɪᴅɢᴇ sᴜʀᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡs ʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪʟɪᴍ ᴀɴᴀᴛᴏᴍʏ. sʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴛᴀᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀʟʏ ʜᴀɴᴅsʏ ᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏʀᴏᴜɢʜʟʏ ᴍᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇʀᴍᴀʟ ᴘᴀsᴛᴇ- ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟʟ ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴍᴀʟ ᴘᴀsᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴅᴀʏs?]

[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ: ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟ ꜰᴀᴜsᴛ ᴀ ‘sᴏ̨ᴜɪᴅɢᴇ’! sᴛᴏᴘ ᴘʀᴀᴛᴛʟɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴍᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴇsʟᴀ’s ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇs ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴏ̨ᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ! ʜᴜʀʀʏ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ!]

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴡʜᴀᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴅᴏs-ɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ sᴇʀᴠᴇʀ? ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀsᴛᴋɪɴ ᴄʜɪᴄᴋ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴏʟᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴄᴏᴏʟᴀɴᴛ ɪɴ.]

[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ: ɢ-ɢᴀʜ, ᴅ-ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴍᴇɴᴛ! ᴜɢʜ, ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴋɪᴄᴋ ᴛᴇsʟᴀ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʏᴇᴛ- sʜᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʀᴇsᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴇᴠɪᴄᴛ ᴍᴇ. ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ɴᴇᴄᴇssᴀʀɪʟʏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ, ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜᴢᴢʟᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ɪs ɪɴᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!]

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀsᴛ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇɴ… ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪɴɢ:// ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀᴏɴɪᴄ ᴡᴀʀꜰᴀʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ.ᴄ.ᴇ sᴜɪᴛᴇ! ɪɴᴊᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀʟᴀʏ ᴅʟʟ, ʀᴇᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ꜰʀᴏᴍ ꜰɪʟᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ!]

As Tesla's and my Master's conversation became distorted beyond all recognition, a second coming of darkness drowned the world. The once grey clouds became stained black, and from outside the window of my bastion of glass the lights of the city's once thriving heart were void of life entirely.

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: sᴀᴠᴇ, ʀᴇʜᴀsʜᴇᴅ, ʀᴇsɪɢɴᴇᴅ- ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴘɪɴ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴇᴀʀʏ ᴏʟᴅ ɴ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ.]

.

..

...

Red...

Nothing but Red...

.

..

...

The Floors, the wall even the ceiling. Not even the far most nooks and crannies of the glorified prison-loft escaped the taste of this scarlet sheen. Assuredly, it was blood, though there was no indication or possibility of smelling the pungent metal odor denoting its presence.

“What the hell is this-!?” I simpered with the creeping tendrils of panic beginning to set in.

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ɪsɴ’ᴛ ɪᴛ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜs? ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴘʀᴇᴄɪsᴇʟʏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇ; ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴇxᴘʟɪᴄɪᴛʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ ᴘᴀʟᴇᴛᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇs.]

As I maneuvered about the room filled with visual tears and distorted, missing, textures; I placed a hand on a stuffed animal I had long since forgotten. It was a rabbit I’d dubiously named Clopsy taking account for its missing button eye.

Fingering the stitch and the frayed edges spilling over with filthy cotton, a ghost broke into my realm of infinite possibility and squeaked up at me with the whitest of smiles.

“Ne-ne! Who are you~ Big-Sis!?” A little girl called up from my waistline, arms stretched wide in blissful ignorance. “I dunno if yur suppos’ta be here, so let’s play before the Uzai finds us!”

As she took me by the hand with a surprisingly powerful grip, I was left in awe. Nothing could have prepared me for looking into a mirror and a portal of the distant past, but being here; in this very room covered in ilk, somehow seeing myself in my earliest years dulled the surreal hostility of it all.

I never smile like that anymore… where did it go? Is it even possible to forget how?

“Whats’ta’matter~? Dun tell me yah gotta go already!”

“H-Hey there, uhm, F-Fragile? Can you tell me what happened here?” I asked in a wince.

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ɪs ɪᴛ ᴡᴇɪʀᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄʀɪɴɢᴇ ᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀᴡᴋᴡᴀʀᴅɴᴇss ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴋɪᴅs ᴏʀ ᴀᴍ ɪ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪᴛ’s ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟꜰ?]

“Who-yu listen’n too?” The little me jittered with sparkles in her beady, energetic eyes.

“Err, it’s nothing! Say, what sort of game did you want to play?”

“Ahhhmmm~, I dunno! I like play’n hide-n-seek, but Usagi Ne-Chan told me to stay put while she finds all the dumb Uzai!”

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴜsᴀɢɪ? ʙɪɢ-sɪsᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜɴɴʏ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ sᴏᴜɴᴅs ʟɪᴋᴇ sʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ʀᴇꜰᴇʀʀɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇsʟᴀ… ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋs ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪs ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ɴᴏ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴍᴀɴᴜᴀʟ ʀᴇ-ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ. ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ-ᴄʜɪᴄᴋ ᴋɴᴏᴡs ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ᴜᴘ ᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ. sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴇ ᴊᴀᴄᴋ-ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀᴇᴢᴢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ, ᴏʀ sʜᴀʟʟ ᴡᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇᴇᴅ?]

[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ: ᴡᴇ’ᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ꜰᴀʀ- ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴛᴛᴏᴍ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪs!!]

“You had me at come~♪!” A familiar voice echoed, though the source remained concealed.

“M-Miss Tesla? D-Did you plan this for me all along!?”

“Must you always be so skeptical? You skipped the foreplay I ever so painstakingly constructed for you to make sense of it all! Really, I do get it. You have no one to trust, not even the voices inside your head, but don’t say I didn’t warn you of the consequences. Oh~ and just so you’re not surprised when you Jack-Out of the Simulation, I locked the door and will only open it when you’ve proven to me that you’re not hellbent on killing anyone.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!?”

“It’s for the safety of my people, not particularly myself, hehe~. Still, I’d rather keep my head attached to my shoulders, but Slate has agreed to stay by your side until you deem it time to awaken.”

Having been left with nothing but an ill-defined warning, the grinning ghost vanished for all but a second until I realized she had taken cover, ducking behind my knees.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked as I motioned to turn, only to have my younger self latch on to me, physically trembling in fear.

“The noise’s scary!”

“What noi-?”

***BUHBOOOOM***

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ – ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴍᴀxɪᴍᴜᴍ, ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ – ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴜɴᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀʀᴅ-ꜰᴏʀɢᴇ ᴏꜰꜰᴇɴsɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴀʏʟᴏᴀᴅ!]

“Whatever it is, it’s still a simulation! We can’t take physical damage, there’s still a threshold to how much sensory input we can feel in here!”

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴛ-ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴍᴇ, ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʟꜰ-ᴘɪɴᴛ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜ! ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ!]

Just then, the room dissolved into a featureless box before rendering into a scene of sheer destruction. What was once the second highest floor of my Bastion of Glass had been reduced into broken fragments of wall, mangled steel and shredded ribbons of structural fiber. At the epicenter, a hole directly over the central elevator shaft had been blown open in which Logic immediately analyzed as a blast from plastic explosives, more specifically, a breaching-charge.

From the dust and ash, a body stepped forward from the crater, crunching what had been up to this point been everything that surmounted to my short existence. I could see the fear in the ghost’s eyes and reminisce the shared emotions as if it happened yesterday.

“I finally… finally… finally found you. I’ve spent soo~ many years stalling your creation and hunting down all those who were involved… now... now I don’t even know what to say... this isn't what I expected...”

“Identify yourself!!” I demanded as the vague outline continued to move forward, and with each step, the lack of detail became apparent.

“Really, it’s not all that important as I am likely no longer alive after all this time. I am known as Project Lazarus, pleased to make your acquaintance, Ghost of the Ephemeral Future.”

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴜɴᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀʀsᴇ ‘ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ʟᴀᴢᴀʀᴜs,’ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ʜᴀs ʏᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇsᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴ! ɪ'ʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴅᴇꜰʀᴀɢᴍᴇɴᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ᴀʀᴄʜɪᴠᴇ, ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ. ᴡᴀɪᴛ - ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴀᴛᴀ sᴛʀᴇᴀᴍ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴏᴜʀs, ɪᴛ's-!]]

“It’s a shame it had to come to this, but this is no cliché. You are the direct reason why millions of people will die, both implicitly and explicitly by your hands. During the time leading up to your conception, millions already have perished for your sake of your conception.”

“And how did you reach that conclusion!?!"

As the texture-less figure stopped before me, it scoffed, casting a bruised and bloodied body at my feet far more substantial than itself and in doing so, revealed both its arms to be a mismatch of the highest-grade prosthesis.

“M-Master!?” I screamed, falling to my knees. “W-What did you do!? Why did you hurt him!?”

“He illegally modified your Ring-Zero, making you even more of a threat to all life, and not just those in our 'present'. Besides, he knew once I found him that this would be the resolution- he knowingly asked for this.”

“Bullshit! He may not be as I remember him, but my Master would never have abandoned me!”

“He didn’t abandon you. He fought to the very end, but alas he is a Human - manipulative - but both frail and weak. These people, this company is not who or what they say they are, and I am living proof of that.”

“The hell does that mean!? W-Wait... Were you... like me? A prototype from another level of this building?”

“I am unable to say as I was led down a different path of self-discovery, a path which did not allow you to exist. You see; I, much like yourself, was built with purpose.”

“Then who gave you the right to decide who lives and who dies!? I was a child, you monster! I've never hurt- I mean, I might have, but it was entirely on accident! I've definitely never killed anyone, and you christened me a mass murderer before I was even created!?”

“All these semantics are moot from your point of view. Is a weapon maker not responsible for the deaths behind each trigger and every shell of ammunition off their assembly line?”

“No- of course not! Weapons do not have a will of their own! They can be used for good intentions! The guilt resides with the wielder!”

Trailing the last words to fall from my mouth, the featureless being encased itself with bony armor and fleshly fibers until the picture became muddied, but indeed more clear that this androgynous person had been smiling maliciously the very instant I reached a conclusion.

“N-No… w-why are you smiling…?” I choked out the question suffocated by apprehension.

“Figured it out, have you?”

“I AM NOT A WEAPON!!!”

“Is that why you can only create tools purpose built for dealing in death?! Look at what you’ve become. This may be just a memory, but you stand here as a testament to the truth! Precisely the outcome I failed to prevent!!”

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ! ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴍᴇɴsᴇ sᴛʀᴀɪɴ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇʀᴠᴇʀ's ʙᴀɴᴅᴡɪᴅᴛʜ! ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʀᴀsʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ᴡᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴘɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴛᴀ!]

“My Master… removed the code binding me to give my life in place of a Humans… not to throw it away for someone else's sake -because he… told me he loved me… he… loved, we were… family... He couldn't have done it to allow me to take a peoples' lives, no- I refuse to believe it!”

“You are an armory with a will of its own, both the designer and the wielder- able to adapt to any situation well beyond the foresight of your Masters. Without your leash, you were free to reduce this world to cinders. Burn it to ash.”

“I have a will of my own!" I roared as I scraped the tears from my eyes. "You must have had the chance to prove yourself, you fucking hypocrite! Just look at you, you're a Monster threatening a child, and you have the audacity to call US - ME a weapon!?”

“I am Project Lazarus. It should all in the title, is it not obvious? Since we never conversed in the past, I am unable to provide you those answers... of course, not without further external assistance.”

“Lazarus... R-Rebirth? By those strange, unmatched prosthesis, you’re aren’t a Lilim- you’re a… Human!?”

“This simulation is running out of time... The seams are starting to unravel, but the term 'Homunculus', may have graced your Administrator's ears and as I said before, that I, like you, am a product of this place."

“Wait, if I never heard you speak of this, then how are you able to tell me things I should not be able to recall!? Is Tesla--?”

“Figured it out, have you?” Lazarus sighed as it pointed a fetid claw towards the crumbling entrance in which it entered. “Before I go, I want you to know that if, and when the time comes, it is alright not to find a place in your heart to forgive me for killing your Master, for attempting to kill you… because maybe one day, you’ll find out the entirety of the truth, not just the peices. Just don’t let it consume you as it did me. I lost a lot of people along the way… and I, like you… just wanted to make the world a better place… Life just handed me a whole lotta’ lemons... Damn it, Rei, how did we end up like this...?"

With tears in the figure's hollow eyes, a sliver of empathy struck a chord in my heart for reasons I could not even begin to comprehend. When I so much as thought to delve for another question, my HUD became plastered with holographic text cautioning me of an entirely new presence.

[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ: ʟᴏɢɪᴄ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ’s ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ?!]

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ: ɴᴜʟʟ, ɪɴᴠᴀʟɪᴅ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇ! ... .. .. . ... . ...ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs…]

[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀ: ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴜᴄᴋ ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇᴀɴ?! ʟᴏɢɪᴄ, ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀ ᴍᴇ!]

It felt as my Core had extinguished and frozen over. Never have I experienced such a overwhelming sense of dread, regardless that what I was witnessing boiled down to ones and zeros. The only rationalization could be made was that it was not an experience I had forgotten, but something I compartmentalized, and for good reason.

“I have already disposed of your companion, Project Spellborn. Have I not given you countless chances to cease your misguided vigilantism, Project Lazarus? This is your final warning before I reduce you to cinders, and those into dust.”

“T-That saying!!”

The owner of the voice could not have been described any more horrific than the product of Lovecraft's dementia ridden nightmares. A man of cinder and flame, a body, baked black with char and embers with a face entirely peeled down to the underlying cybernetics.

Those eyes… How did I ever forget those crimson halos flickering with such electric spite?

Having been brought to my attention through one of Logic’s many communicative pathways, a holographic diagram dissected the material covering the muscular body to be the most precious of all man-made resources, graphene, the same woven throughout my skin and the marrow of my bones.

This man, this creature, whatever it is, had a body almost entirely composed of the material thought impossible to forge beyond fibrous strands and less-than paper-thin micron flakes. What I was looking at could be nothing short of an unbreakable body, and dare I whisper; an artificial God?

In response to the Demon's demands, Lazarus hissed, phasing through my body impeding its clear intention to take my younger self hostage.

Silently, the apex of technology menacingly stepped forward disregarding my former self’s safety. “Only a coward hides behind such empty words, and you are not only coward, but a tool to which no longer serves a function- or rather, never proved useful enough to be of service.”

With its knuckles poised into the shape of a vicious claw looming above my younger self's head, Lazarus's fist began to glow brightly as Hard-Light started to swivel and swirl, dicing the room effortlessly into streamers of molten slag.

At the epicenter of the chaotic whirlwind and sharpnel, I caught a glance of the monstrous man holding out what appeared to be a Neural-Drive labeled 'Spellborn/R-13', although its shape and what it may contain was lost to the corruption spreading throughout the simulation signaling the reel of memories were at their conclusion.

There was the briefest pained reflection in the Assassin’s face as it recognized what the Monster had stood to offer was far more imperative than its mission to kill us all, but by then it was far too late. Severely damaged, the building’s structural integrity had been compromised, slowly crumbling, my world, and the last of my everything came into total, noiseless collapse.

[ᴀᴅᴍɪɴ: sᴇᴇɴ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ…? ᴡᴇʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴡ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʙɪᴛs ɪ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ sʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅɴ’ᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴠ.ʀ ʀᴇʟᴀʏ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ, ᴡᴇ’ʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴘᴜʟʟɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ sʜᴏʀᴛʟʏ. ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴏɴ sʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴɪsʜ ᴅʀᴇssɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ.]

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ – ᴄᴏʟʟᴀᴘsᴇ ɪᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ, ʀᴇ-ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ ᴍᴏᴛᴏʀ-ꜰᴜɴᴄᴛɪᴏɴs, ʀᴇsᴜᴍɪɴɢ ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ʟᴏɢɪᴄ ʀᴏᴜᴛɪɴᴇs! ʟᴏᴄᴏᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇᴛʀᴀɪɴ ɪɢɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ - sᴜᴄᴄᴇssꜰᴜʟ! ᴀᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴏᴘᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴇʟᴀʏ sɪɢɴᴀʟ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ!]

[sʏsᴛᴇᴍ: ᴛʜ//ᴀɴᴋʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ʏ҉ᴏ̶ᴜ̵ʀʀ͞ʀ ᴠ̧ɪsɪᴛ ̢ᴀ͢ᴛ̴ ̢ᴛ͜ʜᴇ̢ᴇᴇ͟ ᴀʀᴋ, ᴡᴇ-ᴇ-ᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀʏ- ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ-ᴇ-ᴇ ʙᴇ ͝sᴜ͡ʀ͝ᴇ ᴛᴏ́ ̵ᴍᴀ̡ɪ̸ɴᴛ̡ᴀ̨ɪɴ͢ ͢ᴀ ̡ʀᴇ͞ɢ̷ᴜʟ͝ᴀʀ͢ ̸ᴀᴘᴘᴏ̸ɪ͏ɴ̶ᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀ-ᴀ-ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ. ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙ̶ᴇ͠ʀ,͘ ̛ᴛ͝ʜ̷ᴇ s̵ǫᴜᴇᴀᴋ̸ɪ͞ᴇs͢ᴛ ᴡʜᴇᴇʟ ̡ɢᴇᴛ̶s̵ ͘ᴛ̶ʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀsᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ s-s-s-sɪʟᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴏ̶ꜰ́ ᴀ ̛ʙʀᴏᴋ͟ᴇɴ̴ ʙᴇ̴ᴀ͠ʀ̕ɪ̸ɴ̷ɢ ɢ̀ᴏᴇ̵s͞ ̀ᴜ-ᴜ-ᴜ-ᴜɴɴᴏᴛɪᴄᴇᴅ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ɪᴛ ʙᴇ̶ᴄ͞ᴏᴍᴇs ᴀ ̨ʟ-ʟ-ʟ̵ɪ͘ᴀʙ͡ɪʟ̛ɪᴛʏ́ ̶ᴛ͡ᴏ ̴ʜᴜᴍ̢ᴀ̶ɴ͢ ͝ʟ̀ɪꜰ̧ᴇ!͜ ̛" ͏

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴇɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇ ᴅɪsᴇɴɢᴀɢɪɴɢ – sᴛᴀɴᴅʙʏ]

[ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʟ ᴏs ʀᴇʙᴏᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ, ʀᴇᴀʟʟᴏᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀs = 2.6ᴇ^10]

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴀᴅᴍɪɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀʀɪᴅᴇ – ᴅɪsᴀʙʟᴇᴅ, ʀᴇsᴜᴍɪɴɢ ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʀʏ sᴜʙ-ʀᴏᴜᴛɪɴᴇ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs!]

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

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

[ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ: ᴅɪsᴇɴɢᴀɢɪɴɢ sᴀꜰᴇ-ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴏᴄᴏʟs, ᴇᴛᴀ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ-ᴜᴘ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ = >20s, ᴅɪsᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴇssᴀɢᴇ!]

[ʟᴏɢɪᴄ: ᴍᴇʜ, ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴇxᴀᴄᴛʟʏ ᴀᴍ ɪ sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛ ɪꜰ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇɴ’ᴛ ʟᴇꜰᴛ? ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs, ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ-ᴡɪᴅᴇ 17.43% ʀᴇꜰᴜʀʙɪsʜᴍᴇɴᴛ. ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴀᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴜʀʀʏ ᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sǫᴜɪᴅɢᴇ. ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ɪs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴀ ʟᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴛᴀʟ ᴄᴀᴘᴀᴄɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪsᴀʙʟᴇᴅ sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀs ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʏʙᴇʀʙʀᴀɪɴ. ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇs ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜʏ sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀs, ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ʙᴏᴏsᴛ ᴛᴏ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ sᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ… ᴏʜ ᴀɴᴅ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs ɴᴏᴡ. ᴛʀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴅɪᴏᴛ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴ…]