J'Étais
by Fidget
I was.
At first, it was disorienting. I had no sense of up or down, right or left, no depth perception. After a few moments, when I had gathered enough data to understand my enviroment, I began to examine my surroundings.
A system. How did I know? It was there, in my mind, a piece of knowledge that I hadn't gained. But I was gaining plenty by the nano, swamped by information I hadn't filtered out. Colors, sounds, scents...It was all so new and intriguing that for a moment I lay with my eyes closed, sorting through my priorities. And then, it surfaced: my function. My one goal to fulfill in my runtime. And time was already running out. I would have to start preparing soon...
I sat up, feeling amazed at the dimensions I could move in. My head spun with a sudden deficiency of energy, and I closed my eyes again to cut down on the input until I recovered. After a moment, I was able to move and see again.
I stood up, balancing surprisingly easily on two legs. There were no sprites in the small area I had awoken in, but I knew they were close by. But at the moment, they mattered not to me. What I needed was a Guardian.
I took a few steps out of the alleyway, glancing about me. The Guardians would be to my left. I could sense it. I walked that direction, keeping my gaze straight forward, where I knew the Guardian Academy would appear over the horizon.
As I walked, a sprite bumped against me. I turned to see what could have caused them to do so, and as we locked eyes I saw them jump. Was I strange looking? Before the sprite could leave, I reached up and grasped their shoulder.
"Miroir." I said, but they only looked puzzled.
"What?"
I couldn't understand them. They were speaking differently than I. If I could persuade them to speak more, I could pick up the language...
"Je voudrais se voir dans un miroir." I said quietly, only wanting to provoke another sentence from them. I closed my eyes when they spoke again.
"I'm sorry, I don't know your language. Maybe if you can find a translator..."
"That will not be necessary." Decoded. I could understand them perfectly now, and speak fairly well. They looked a little surprised once more when I switched so rapidly from my natural language to theirs. "I would like to see a mirror, if you please."
The sprite dug through a hand bag for a moment, then produced a small compact and mirror. I examined my features, then theirs, and after much of this I determined that the only real difference between myself and the sprite was my heigth and my eyes. I returned the mirror with a nod and walked on toward my destination.
I walked on, and at last came into view of the Guardian Academy. "Ah, la première étape vers ma fonction..." The first stage of my function. I walked forward again. When I reached the doors, two Guardians stepped into my path.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, you can't come inside without forms giving-"
On programming, I pointed the toes of one foot and concentrated slightly. A green glow spread from the tip of my boot to the two Guardians, and spiralled up their bodies. I watched, enthralled, as they shouted and writhed momentarily, then fell quiet. One rose his head and looked at me with an expression of awe.
"My Lady..." he breathed, and I smiled at him.
"Oui...Yes, Cardon." I said, and stepped through between them with renewed grace. I seemed almost to glide across the polished floor of the entrance hall.
Without very much trouble I found the office of the Prime Guardian. He was my first priority, he would truly begin my function. I opened the door and stepped inside his office.
He was surprised to see me, as he should have been. He stood, hands on his desk, and frowned at me.
"How did you get inside here, young lady?" he demanded, but I only smiled. "I'm going to have to escort you out, I'm afraid."
"Non, Prime Guardian Turbo." I answered. "It is time to be at peace. To...hear the Word."
And I touched the tip of my toes to the floor.
My own reaction to the infection was far stronger than the Guardians at the door. When I took control of his mind, a burst of power wracked my body. I threw back my head and took a gasping breath, then rose off the floor slightly. This I was sure I had not been able to do moments ago. When my contact with the floor was broken, so was the stream of my infection. The Prime Guardian fell on his knees on the floor.
When he looked up again, it was clear by softly pulsing veins around his icon and temples. I should have infected for longer, but I was inexperienced, and he seemed willing to give in to my control. He looked up at me, seeming humbled from his position a few moments ago.
"My Lady." he said, and my hair began to softly float up on its own.
I was...the Word.