"So what was I?" She asked.
"Hm?" The hologram turned to her, confused. " What do you mean?"
"What was I to you?" Her fists clenched in anger, though none showed on her fair face. "Was I just another of your mistakes? Just something you tolerated until you could make something better and throw me in the trash?!" She was shouting now, tears beginning to sting her eyes, at the projection of her dead creator, "WHAT WAS I TO YOU?!"
The hologram listened dispassionately, staring at her unblinkingly in the basement of his private lab. It comically had dug into it's ear when she raised her voice, disinterested with the emotions raging through her core. Only after she had stopped speaking for several minutes, gasping and panting for breath, did it speak again.
"What type of foolish question is that? And there is no need to raise your voice, you know." The hologram's smile grew to the insane, disturbing proportions it grew to when she had known the man in life. "There was never a point to trying to create a new version of you, because you could not be improved upon."
"?" She managed to meet the hologram's gaze once more, blinking away the tears.
"You were my ultimate creation, capable of self-growth and improvement independent of my interference. Nothing else I, no my rival have ever made comes close to when I made you."
"…"
"You were my greatest masterpiece, Nemu."
There were no words for that, only more tears. Bittersweet tears that made her man-made soul ache for completely different reasons.
"And here come the tears again. Honestly if you're just going to cry then you might as well get out instead of ruining the floor." That familiar look of annoyance was back on his face. That nostalgic look she had hated so. She loved that look now.
"This place is already filthy, Mayuri-sama."
"What!?" The hologram actually seemed to take notice of it's environment now and was stamping his foot in outrage. "This is absolutely unacceptable! If I had a body I would choke myself for letting my precious lab fall into this state!"
Soft, musical laughter filled the dark halls of Mayuri's secret lab while said man's ghost ranted and raved about how his rival would mock him so for such an oversight.
"This cannot be allowed to continue! Nemu, we must clean this mess at once!"
"We, Mayuri-sama?"
By we I mean you!"
Back straight, legs together, hands clasped in front of her, Nemu gave a heart-melting smile, "Yes, Mayuri-sama."
"Hey, why are you smiling? Are you laughing at me too now, Nemu!?"
She couldn't deny that she was, but she didn't mind listening to his ravings while she cleaned this place up. It was her day off and the current Captain didn't mind listening to to her predecessor talk for a little while longer.