Funny how time seems to warp and bend with our perception. They say the closer to the center of the planet’s core, the slower time passes. To what extent, I wonder; did the entire universe grow at the same rate or did we appear much sooner than we were led to believe?

Well, it’s not like philosophy and quantum time mechanics really matter all that much to me. I just wish I had a little more time riding on the backs of dinosaurs in my dreams.

Now, where were we…?

Oh, I almost forgot! I took a bullet, and that Soldier carried me off School grounds. That would mean…

A proper placement of my spring-loaded knee and…!

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Do not give me another reason to enact my right to self-defense.”

By the sound of the Soldier’s voice, I must have been positioned over his right shoulder, slung with my head towards his back at a downward angle. Had I followed through, my knee should have careened with his face. But as tempting as that is, I need to orient myself with my surroundings.

Those same people who claim time is a human construct say that when senses are stripped from the body; others heighten in their place. Namely, for me it was smell, and I already possessed an acute sense given my nature as a mischief maker… and perhaps some genetic factors.

Charcoal… I can smell something burning, like houses, but I should smell the pungent tar of shingles. So maybe it’s bundles of plywood in a warehouse or trees in an open field- perhaps if I listen to his footsteps, but he’s hardly making a sound as he walks…

“Pardon, but I noticed your abdominal muscles are rigid. Are you indicating that you need to pee?”

“W-What!? Don’t be absurd! I’m just trying to figure out- ah! W-Wait, nevermind!”

“If you promise not to attack me, I will release your binds and the sack I've placed over your head.”

“You really did tag and bag me… god damn it… put me down already! Where’s Izumi!? You better not have hurt her!”

“I left your friend at P.E.D.S.S while I went in search of medical supplies. I took you along with me since it is likely that you would have tried to escape while your friend should be recovering.”

“Damn right I would have! What the hell is PEDSS and why do I not like the sound of it!?”

“Portable Emergency Deployable Survival Shelter.” The Soldier stated as I felt myself slide from his shoulder, and then set upon my knees. “PEDSS is a key part of my Unit’s Gear, and part of the reason why your friend is still alive.”

“Yeah, in no way thanks to you!” I growled as I felt the handcuffs de-latch with an audible click.

“On the contrary; my ocular implant recorded proof that you struck me first, and I retaliated appropriately within the parameters of self-defense. Even when your friend raised a weapon to me, I took the lightest recourse available: disabling my aggressors. Given any other circumstances, you would both be charged with a Class-A Felony.”

The light… It’s overwhelming.

Even after I had been given a minute to adjust, splotches of faded colors clung to my surroundings making it impossible to perceive where I had been taken, let alone stand upon my own accord. Given another second, the Soldier noticed my inattentiveness, offering a hand in which I immediately refused.

“Don’t think that you’ve done me any favors. I’m in this situation partly because of you. I handled those other Savagers all on my own. Their Chief woulda’ been no different. I already had his legs bound!”

Humming to a surprised bemusement, the Soldier took my hand anyway, yanking me from the floor.

“Is that an admission to Homicide? You are being recorded, for your information. Once the Government is reestablished and Martial-Law has been lifted, you may be held in court if what you claim is true.”

“That’s if you make it back to your squad and the world isn’t doomed to begin with. You’re really dense aren’tcha? Besides, you don’t have me in the International Registry. Good luck making anything stick to a ghost!”

“Your friend informed me your name is Else, is that right? With such a peculiar name, I’m sure it wouldn’t take long to reference it somewhere in the SkyNet.”

Throwing my fist through the air, I found the Soldier’s footsteps continuing behind me.

“H-Hey! Take me back to Izumi! I can’t see- you can’t just leave me here!”

“I don’t believe in ghosts, nor do I recall owe any of them any favors. Protecting Civilians hellbent on attacking me is not within my operational parameters.”

“Ugh- must you be so insensitive! I swear you’re like one of those dumb Android Lilim import things from Neo-Japan! Beep-Boop-Must-Comply!”

“That is precisely what I am. Most people notice by my mannerisms right off the back. Lilim Model AE-Jaeger 37-4E ‘LIGER’. Introducing myself any further would be a breach of classified information, so please do not inquire.”

As I continued to follow Liger’s voice, I managed to stealthily trot behind him despite my surroundings congealing into a massive blur.

“If you require assistance, I will offer you my hand if you do not wish for me to carry you.”

*THUMP*

Unintentionally, I walked directly into his backside, and regrettably; onto my rear. Or so I thought… Imperceptibly quick, Liger had snatched my arm preventing my tailbone from receiving yet another blow from the cold-hard earth.

“Err… T-Thanks…”

“No thanks needed. I am aware of your injuries; it only required a gesture of kindness to dissuade a great deal of needless suffering.”

This guy is precisely the Do-Good McDougal I mentioned in my Digi-Diary; the ‘Hero’ sort that sticks his nose in everything, basking in the attention and limelight of social popularity and praise.

Oh well, it’s not like his sort is long for this world; Androids only live for about ten years before going mad- something to do with their emotion regulators giving up, or perhaps they too realize this world and everything in it forever will be a massive disappointment.

Seriously, what a cliché; at the pinnacle of technology, we couldn’t even build a machine that can endure only a portion of the struggle living beings experience… let alone what I have lived through.

Wait… how did he know about my injuries- the bruises on my ass!?

Oh, forget it… my legs hurt…

“Carry me.” I puffed as I took into account that I could no longer feel the warmth of the sun overhead.

“Pardon?”

“Either fix my eyes or carry me! I was going off the ambient light, but now I can’t see a damn thing. Or was your offer-.”

*SPLASH* *COUGH-COUGH* *ACCCKK!*

Without warning, a ball of cold water struck my face around the time I just so happened to inhale. Against the bitter sting of lingering droplets lodged in my nasal passages, the revitalizing shock sent me pawing off a strange layer of gel from my eyes until my vision came back to me.

“I will have to withdraw my offer as it appears we have company.”

“Company!? I’m more concerned about this crud you put on my face!?”

“It is a biodegradable Hagfish-Substrate employed as a blinding agent for less-than-lethal use.”

“So what, like; ‘Gentle Pepper-Spray’? Did you say Hagfish!?”

“Precisely. Now, please; do not give away our position. There are undead in the vicinity.”

Upon dousing myself with Liger’s canteen, I found that I had been taken into an electronics store of all places. The shelves, lined with radio systems, refurbished media players and various antiquities provided refuge from the horde of walking dead shambling through the streets. Awestruck, I lost count beyond fifty bodies fumbling over one another as they streaked along the large panes that made up the Store’s entryway and central display.

“We will move when the bulk of the horde passes, so make yourself comfortable. We may need to wait until nightfall.”

Hesitating a second before I absentmindedly threw myself down on my rear, I flattened out along the ground on my belly as to keep a close eye on the Zombies and what had warranted their undivided attention.

“We’re surrounded with a million distractions. Couldn’t we set one of these stereo systems off at full volume and make a break for it? What were we doing in here anyway?”

“The chances of survival would be less than 33% given your injuries, and I cannot divulge that information. I merely brought you along for reasons I stated previously.”

“Tell me Izumi’s safe and that you didn’t give her the same facial treatment to keep her from leaving?!”

“I cannot confirm or deny her means of restraint as your response will likely jeopardize our situation. I assure you that I have taken every possibility into account to maintain the integrity of the PEDSS as it is my means of survival… and by that extent, your friend and her location are well secured.”

“Alright… So then, now what? Do we just wait till they pass? C’mon, you can tell me what we are here for. Did you need to change your batteries or something, eheh?”

While Liger continued to refrain from making eye contact, I found a quick ticket to passing the time. Namely; teasing Mr. Robot into divulging his secrets.

“Could you really repair yourself with these antiques? Plan to upgrade your voice to something with more Boom-Boom?”

“MacroSD Type-10… Anything in that range will do, so long as it is a high-capacity MacroSD Card.”

“What would you need one of those things for? Run out of places to store your memories?”

“Not exactly, but my Memory Unit was damaged when your friend fired upon me. I am looking for a temporary replacement until I can make it back to my Squad for sufficient repairs.”

“Oh, that’s right!” I jeered, popping open the buttons of my shirt, but to my dismay, I found a large square bandage offset from the center of my chest. “What did you do with the bullet that was inside of me? I wanna make a necklace or something out of it.”

“I removed and discarded it as it would be a biological hazard to keep it around.”

“S-Seriously? It’s not like people get shot every day and live to tell the tale!”

“On the contrary…”

“Alright, alright! Civilians don’t get-.”

“On the contrary…” He stated again, finally looking me dead in the eyes for a moment before casting them back on the mass of dead huddling down the empty street.

“Oh, come on! Just let me have this victory! I got shot and survived! That’s a start of a pretty cool story, right? OH- or maybe, it’s because you’ve done some wild things yourself, I bet, huh? Tell me your best story!”

“I am not at liberty to divulge classified information.”

Leaping to my feet, I patted the dust from my blouse and buttoned myself up before motioning to leave.

“Where are you going? We need to maintain subterfuge until the Horde clears the vicinity if we are to survive.”

“Nope. Just nope. I can’t handle this level of boring. Either you entertain me, or I’m going to entertain myself by taking a walk outside.”

“That is illogical. You are bluffing.”

Widening my eyes, I smirked as I motioned towards the now blood-stained door.

“Do not let the door hit you on the way out.”

Halting just before the last row of merchandise before making myself visible to the entangled mass of death, I scoffed, swearing beneath my breath and then turned back around.

“Did you just make a joke?” I winced with my lips pursed into a forceful grin.

“No. I wanted to inform you that if you physically let the door hit you, your tailbone-.”

“Listen here, Robo-Boy! You want a MacroSD card? How does a 512 petabyte Class-12 Gaming-Edition sound?”

“That would be more than sufficient. If you have one, then by law you are required to aid me under Article-.”

“Na-na-na-na! There are no more laws here, don’t you get it!? That’s not how we’re going to cut a deal with one of my most prized possessions! They don’t make portable game devices let alone anything anymore! The video games I have loaded on my X-Bracelet are worth their weight in gold… err- to me! Perhaps even more than my own life!”

“You are playing a dangerous game. Legally, under the same Article, I can forcibly retrieve it from you without compensation if you are unwilling to oblige.”

“Then force away! If you do, you’ll need my username and password to format it- not to mention, can you even install it yourself!? You may act tough because you are a Soldier, but I’m not scared of you.”

“I have not intentionally utilized intimidation tactics… yet… That has never been my intent. For that, I apologize. We should work together for a better outcome if we are to survive until first morning’s light.”

“That’s a fancy way of confirming everything I thought of already. Just say it; you need me.”

“Else. I need you.”

No hesitation. Having never heard those words before in the entirety of my life, now I have heard them twice.

“W-Wha… don’t say it like I killed your puppy after we've just broken-up!” I choked, and of course; Liger just haplessly shrugged.

“How should I say it then?”

“J-Just forget it! I’ll give you the damn MacroSD card -IF you delete any footage of me you've got recorded in that noggin of yours! Remember, I’m a ghost! That means all of it!”

“I don’t understand. Not just the incriminating evidence, but all of it? Why would-.”

“Because I just do! Damn! Now hurry up and show me where I need to install the stupid thing!”

As he shifted to his knees, Liger parted the back of his flan-colored hair revealing four equally spaced standard input jacks embedded in the base of his neck. In a single motion and trace of his finger, a small band opened between the four holes large enough for a MacroSD card to be inserted.

“Here.” Liger gestured as he held up a small screen with an embedded interface. “I need you to follow my instructions precisely. Any deviation may shutdown my body until an Engineer from my Unit comes to assist.”

“I take it there is not an Engineer coming if I screw this up?”

“Correct, so please input my instructions responsibly. I am placing my trust and my life in your hands.”

“Suurreeee~ when you put it like that…” I chuckled wryly rethinking my position as I thumbed the small red memory card. “I’m not sure it’s very reassuring, but my memories are in this little thing too, you know? But… if my save-game data and stuff are put to good use, then I suppose it’s not too unbearable to part with it.”

At this point, I could safely say that the second Liger opened his mouth he’d spill something along the lines of ‘My Condolences,’ but I would not allow him. I had already crammed the thin little wafer into the port and connected the wire to the interface device.

After a brief loading screen spanned the length of the handheld device, a wall of red text flew by imperceptibly fast until a warning prompt paused all operations.

“I, the End User hereby… yadayada… Terms of Conduct and Misuse… yadayada…”

Given no other option other than ‘Accept’ or ‘Terminate Connection,’ I chose the former and waited for yet another wall of text to zoom by.

“Hey, Liger, what am I looking for here? I like all things video games, but this is by far the most boring one I’ve played to date.”

No response.

“Liger…?” I called again, though he remained immobile.

“LIEEE-GERRRRR!? Hello!? Where’s my instructions? All there is is-. Oh…”

[Personality Profile: (1)]

“I better leave that alone… It’s not like there’s a description anyways…”

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██████████ 100%

[Combat Log: Data Recovery Suite Rev.3]

“Skip… I guess? This isn’t too terribly hard. I wonder if this thing can access his porn stash?”

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███████▒▒▒ 68%

██████████ 100%

[USER RESTRICTED: CLASSIFIED!]

“WELL THEN…! Uhmmm, I wonder what robot guys are into anyways?”

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[Personality Refinement – ALERT – Unauthorized Field Modifications are Illegal and-.]

“Yeah-yeah, even your brain has rules…”

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[Human-Characteristic and Liberal Tolerance – (4)/10]

“Whoa-whoa-whoa, you have a dial for how human you are? And it’s telling me you’re already on half?! Whoever wrote this program must be a basement dweller. Sorry, Liger, but I’m doing you a favor here. Trust me.”

[Human-Characteristic and Liberal Tolerance – (10)/10]

[User Action – Confirmed]

[Settings – Saved, Rehashed, Resigned.]

[Format and use new Memory Unit? (Y/N)]

I couldn’t help but to contemplate what I had just sacrificed. My X-Bracelet saw me through to better days… well, almost every day. It had become my life companion and my eyes to the world when I had a connection to the SkyNet and its endless wealth of information. Sure, I could find another MacroSD card, they’re relatively commonplace and at this point, free with all the looting going on worldwide.

But… All those characters I had created, I bonded with them as they were my means to escape this reality with the people who I played with… even if they’re probably all dead by now. Maybe that’s why I can’t take anything seriously; this whole thing is still role-playing as someone I’m not, but I can’t deny that for once, I’m about to do something selfless.

[User Input Accepted. Formatting Memory Unit!]

“Now we’re even, Liger. Wake up! The horde is about to pass…! Liger…?”

[System Rebooting, Please Wait!]

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ 0% ETA --:--

“Oh for fuck’s sake! This better not take long!” I grunted, unable to so much as budge the armored brick a millimeter from his position.

“Don’t worry, with what you did to the Chief; we don’t plan to take long either.”

Turning about, I managed to eke out an ‘Eh!?’ before four burly arms descended upon me.

“Now, now, struggling is only going to make it more painful!”

With one hand clamped to Liger’s utility belt and the other batting back the grip on my ankle, I felt something detach in the shape of a pistol grip that I instinctively brought to my eye-line.

[Error: Unauthorized User Detected!]

I couldn’t believe my luck… No really, I had actually drawn a Pistol, only to have its integrated display tell me that my lottery ticket had long expired.

BUT WAIT!

A Silver Lining! The Savagers had not caught on, or rather, couldn’t see the small ammo counter ingrained in the pistol’s hammer.

“That’s right, back it up ya freaks!” I scoffed, regaining my footing before training the pistol between the two scrap-metal warriors who had crept in through the Door marked for 'Employees Only'.

“I don't know how you tracked us down, but once my pal wakes up, you’re really in for it! He’s the one who killed your Chief- blasted him right through a wall like it was nothing!”

“Is that so?” The left, rat-faced punk puckered as he turned to his alley.

“If you ain’t messing, then our beef isn’t with you.”

Dumbfounded, I couldn’t help myself. “What, really? You don’t like the 'Man' either?”

“Of course not!” They spat in unison.

"Wait a sec, now that I have a better look at ya, he maced you, hah? You're eyes are swollen and I can see the residue from that shitty goo!”

“WAIT, WHAT’S STILL ON MY FACE!?” I shrieked as I instinctual brought a hand to my face.

“Here.” The rat-bastard chuckled as he handed me a blood-encrusted shard from a mirror. “Now would you stop aiming that gun at us! We don't give a shit about stray survivors without anything to loot! You'd be boring to kill and an extra mouth to feed back at camp.”

Red…

The markings on my face had nothing to do with the irritant, and all to do with who and what I am.

Naku-Chi, Cry-Blood. Red Tears. There are many names for the distinct markings that make up my Clan… had they not gone extinct. Even though I loathe make-up, I concealed my ethnicity for good reason; because aberrations are not wanted, even by Scum. Period.

History and Humanity would not weigh me above these loafing thugs; instead, the rats beneath the street are closer to kin… yet they are not the ones on the verge of extinction.

Well, at least now even Humans are endangered, given the recent turn of events with the Zombie outbreak.

“Hey, grip that mirror any harder and you'll break it! Oh... and you might cut yourself, not that we care...” The rat-faced man warned, as I realized I had been clutching the shard to the point my palm turned white and...

Black…

That’s right…

My blood is…

Black…

But the Savagers, they couldn’t tell, not in the ambient light.

“You gonna give back me mirror or what?!”

And then I felt a hand graze my head. Now, for certain my identity had to been revealed as the larger thug retracted instantly.

“What’s wrong with you, Idiot?" The stout Savager chortled, patting his gut. "It’s not like she bit you!”

He must have grazed my...

Horns…

You put it all together yet? This world, and all its technology, does the weird and the strange even surprise you anymore?

Well, anyway; I did file them down and hid their remnants behind a metric fuck-ton of hair-clips, but yes; these features are my identity as an Oni – or what the west like to call ‘Demons.’ Regrettably, the name is for posterity, and I have no supernatural power. I am merely a product of genetic manipulation as are swaths of others from all different breeds both from nature and from mythos.

We really did have it all…

While the East perfected bodies of steel, the West altered their own DNA all in the name of perfecting servitude.

And… well… here we are. Look how it all turned out. We succumbed to greed and nihilism.

If only I could go back and time.

If only I could scream and shout, warn the world before it's too late!

Where would I even begin to fix everything?

What would I even say?

Would they even believe me?

Why should I be the one to bear this burden?

Now I understand why chaos exists. It's the only way anything ever gets done in a universe that doesn't give a shit about you.

“S-She’s one of them Beastkin things! Didn’t they all turn mad without their DNA Stabilizing Medicine!?”

No, not this one… Not yet at least.

“Yo relax! We’ve come across some fairly normal ones; I’m sure she’s no-!”

Different?

Yeah, suffice to say; Different doesn’t entirely encapsulate the most undesirable thing to walk this dreadful planet. Anger, Disdain, they are both mutual. Those two emotions have been the driving force since the day a Human adopted me.

People fear different. They tend to keep it at an arm’s length until they find understanding… or complete control. I already looked the part humans wanted me to be, for the most part, I just had to act like one. It’s not that my people were animals or savages, we were anything but.

Coexisting sounds easy, right? Only on paper, trimmed of it's fine print.

I was entranced by what I read on the SkyNet. How we were strong, independent and unified… and that was enough for the Humans to pull the plug on the future of my people. We were never given a chance to shine, to show the humans what we were capable of; immune to disease, great strength and in some cases; incredible beauty.

So when I plunged the shard of mirror in the Savager’s neck, I felt nothing as I had already been here before. All I could do was scream, allowing my instincts to take over. That’s one thing humans and I have in common; an unquenchable thirst for revenge.

Maybe they were right to be afraid, because here and now; these humans don't stand a chance.

Upon retracting the makeshift blade, the rat-faced man fell backward, gurgling and choking on his own blood while his partner stood as still as a statue unable to comprehend what had happened. Despite their fragile appearance, human bodies are incredibly resilient at resisting trauma. It took a full three minutes for Rat-Face to exsanguinate while I whittled down the larger Savager with the small fragment until he too fell on his backside in soggy rasps.

“Finally…” I panted, throwing my head back to the ceiling only to find that Liger had regained consciousness.

“Else?” He called to me as he approached, but I barred him with my arm that had been stained like a crimson sleeve.

“What took you so long?" I huffed, turning back to continue to perforate the stout man's belly until it turned yellow and greasy with fat. "Enjoy your nap? Don’t mind me here… I’m just cleaning up a bit.”

Another ten stabs later, I sheathed the shard deep in the Man's intestines. Then I rummaged about my pocket until I found my one article of make-up; a pale concealer I used to quickly blot away my Nakuchi markings, but Liger thought to remove me from the scene before I could hide the truth.

“These men have defensive wounds…”

“No,” I stated plainly as my tunnel vision began to reverberate. “It doesn’t-.”

“Your hand, it is bleeding.”

Unable to hide my identity any longer, I finally faced the monster hiding in my closet; my fear for law-enforcement, my fear from strangers, my fear of the unknown. But Liger didn’t bat an eye towards the distinctive markings. Maybe he didn’t even notice with all the blood; perhaps he didn’t understand that I was anything but human. Instead, he retrieved a small pouch from his utility belt and tore it open with his teeth.

“What is this? What are you doing?” I asked, but Liger for once did not answer. Instead, he went about applying a powder before a bandage over the laceration, completely ignoring the odd discoloration of my blood.

Then, without any warning, Liger stood up and made for the door without uttering a single word.

“I’m sorry.” I blurted, although I'm not even certain if I meant it or who it was intended for.

“Do demo ii…” He spoke in his native tongue. “It does not matter. It is of no importance. I do not care. It is a phrase my Unit coined when things get unbearable, overwhelming… in situations where we no longer have the guidance of our morals.”

“Why…?” I murmured. I was at a total loss for words as a massive weight lifted from my shoulders, almost as if he had absolved me of my sin.

“It is quiet possible that in your shoes and in light of our circumstances, I would have preemptively moved to defend myself. ”

“You know what I am?” I choked, following him close behind as we left through the back door until and out into the moonless light cast by the distant skyscrapers and towering obelisks.

“A Ghost, correct? Someone who should not exist.”

“Yeah.” I sighed, as a smile faded as quickly as it came over me. “So, you will hold up your end of the bargain?”

“Although I cannot erase the footage as it would only raise more questions from my Superiors, I will personally vouch for your amnesty given you were critical in aiding me during my Mission. A feat such as this may warrant a commendation from the Mayor, had he not turned within the initial outbreak.”

Although it was faint, a genuine smile rested upon my lips for what could be for the very first time in my life.

I found hope in something that by definition; cannot feel compassion or empathy.

But, maybe that’s just it; Humans and their stigmas.

Maybe I just need to redefine what they taught me; that affection is not gained through offering one's body...

That obedience is not imposed through beating, and manipulation... but there's something I found throughout all this suffering, although I'm not entirely certain what it is. If I stay alive a little longer, maybe I'll discover this little ember inside of me.

PFFT!!!

As if!!

I need a damn cigarette!

Oh, and something stiff to drink!