The Medical 'Ploids arrived with a stretcher, "Help, help her please, she's malfunctioning!" The Navigator fretted.
"Don't worry, we'll fix her up." Said the male Reploid, helping the other Reploid scoop the trembling V-1 onto the stretcher. They carried her out.
Valkyrie's unblinking eyes fell on the Navigator one last time, " . . .d." She sounded like a broken CD, her voice crackling and skipping strangely.
Tito ran frantically down the hall. He busted into the Med Lab and saw his new friend lying in bed. Her mouth trembled and her eyes were huge, and her face was white as a sheet.
"V!" Tito exclaimed and he ran over to her bedside. She whimpered and shrunk away from the sudden noise, "What happened?" Tito demanded.
"She was found in this state in her room 30 minutes ago. We've scanned her systems, but it's no virus. We suspect it's a glitch in her processors. Her personality chip seems to be most affected."
"V." Tito said quietly and he gently brushed her cheek, she shrunk away at first, but then relaxed, "Oh V, what happened?" He asked in a gentle tone.
" .er." She stammered, "H-h-he… . ." Feelings rose in Tito's chest he never knew he was capable of and he took her blue and gold helmet off.
"Hey, you're ok. It's ok." Tito whispered, drawing the back of his hand gently over her pale cheek.
"Do-don't… understand…" V's voice sounded airy and her eyelids flickered, and then she sighed and fell asleep.
"Rest well." Tito said softly. He got ready to leave; he was terrified of the emotions he was feeling.
"We scanned around for everything that could've triggered this in her. Found this." The nurse pulled up a news clip about Suifuto's crash.
"Oh no…" Tito sounded crushed. He didn't know Suifuto, but the fact V called him "father" just broke his heart.
"We believe her personality chip was inadequately prepared for grief, and it caused her to glitch when it came. She should be better soon."
"I hope so." Tito said sadly, looking at V one last time before leaving.
The next morning, Sigma heard the news of the plane crash, and the effects it had on the new cadet.
"How… unfortunate." Sigma mused after he heard the whole story. He went down to visit his new apprentice. She lay, huddled under an old quilt. She muttered in Japanese as she restlessly slept, tossing and turning at times.
"Well?" Sigma asked impatiently.
"She was in pretty bad shape last night, and once we wake her up today she will have some counseling from Sif."
"She needs to train if she ever hopes to get any good." Sigma remarked.
"Not today. Today she needs rest. Not only is she hurt physically, she's hurt mentally too. She will need to recover. Check back tomorrow."
Sigma muttered and left. A few hours later, Tito came, panting and dripping coolant. Sigma worked them hard that day.
"V?" He asked as he walked into the med bay. V was sitting in a chair, her eyes closed, as if in rest, but she opened them when she heard him coming.
"Hey buddy." She said with a weary, sad smile.
"Hey. How are you coping?"
"Better, Miss Sif really helped."
"Good, I was scared for you for a while."
"You were?" V asked with surprise.
Color flushed to Tito's cheeks, "Yeah."
V smiled. A real smile. A big smile. Tito smiled back; he was starting to like that dopey grin of hers.
"You sure you feel better?"
"Yeah! I'm going back to training tomorrow!" She looked to her blue boots, "I guess I decided to let Doctor Suifuto go, he wouldn't want me to cry because he's gone." She looked to the ceiling, "Plus he's in a better place than here, and I bet he's really, really happy up there."
Tito hugged her, "Of course." V felt color come to her cheeks and she did not understand why.
A/N: I'm on fire with these chapters! Should slow down soon, I already have chapters 1-7 done, so I'll be uploading like CRAZY and since I had to section it off in chapters, some will be short, others will be looonngg. Enjoy!