20.

I follow, as if in a trance. The man is lovely to look at, like A2. Androids have been made in man's image, but I did not realise how close. I don't look anything so beautiful, do I? I also have dark hair instead of silvery-white. Humans are diverse, I've read, but this man must be some type of prototype for android appearances. Perhaps because he is so beautiful?

He'll tell me, I'm sure. All about how and why androids were modelled the way they are.

His name is Adam, and I ask, "Like the biblical Adam?" and he seems immensely pleased. I tell him I read a lot, and he turns back to grace me with a genuine look of appreciation.

"So do I."

He's taller than me, but not by much. I jog to catch up and fall in step with his long strides. So, this is how a human man walks. Much like an android does, or me, or—whatever. I really shouldn't be fascinated by walking at this point.

I'm giddy. This is such a familiar feeling, like when I'd first met Nines and 2B—but it also seems like ages since I've felt this way. The way my chest had felt like it was both going to burst and cave into itself at the same time. Sheer wonder. It's back, and it makes me wish it'd never left.

"Adam."

I think I've startled him with the force of my voice because he falters.

"You have books? Really?"

He nods.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Hmmm." He stares ahead as he walks. "You must understand my situation, Ribbon. I've only just met you."

I stare, blank for a moment, and then a tingle of irritation wells even though it may not be warranted. "You don't trust me."

He sets a hand on my shoulder as we walk and the warmth spreads to my neck and cheeks. "Simply being cautious."

I want to fire questions at him like I'd do with Nines, but he's knowledge-blocking me. It's infuriating but I have to keep calm. I have to understand his perspective, and if books and novels have taught me anything, it's that looking at a situation from another perspective is important. I hold my breath and count to calm myself.

"How can I make you trust me?" I ask.

His laugh is listless and confident, but it strikes me as off. Actually, his whole demeanour is confusing me. He's a human like me, but he feels cold somehow. Maybe it is his maturity. He may be a little older than me. He has survived in this bleak world under constant threat, likely having always known the situation of his own people, so I can't expect him to be really cheerful, can I?

I bite the inside of my cheek as I contemplate him.

He stops walking and sets a hand on his hip. He levels me with a look I want to describe as "parental" but I've never had parents so maybe that's not accurate.

"The android that is following us." Adam gives a flourishing gesture back the way we came. "It was speaking to you as if you were familiar to it."

"Oh." I forgot about Noggin. It's nowhere in sight. Whoops. "Yeah, that's Noggin."

Adam's smile creeps on his face as if involuntary. "Interesting."

"Uh, I know machine lifeforms are the enemy, but that little stubby is harmless." I am aware now that sweat sheens my brow. I can't lie, can I? I've got the oddest sensation he'll know. "It just seems really curious."

"Harmless." He says the word like it's the most peculiar thing. "Was it not trying to keep me from finding you?"

I hesitate.

True.

It wanted me to run away.

It . . . spoke. For the first time.

I about leap out of my own skin when a hand cradles the side of my face and brings me to look up at Adam. The way he peers down at me is perplexing. His eyes are red, stark and delving like he's trying to peer at something within that is hidden and unknown to me.

"It is alright." His gloved thumb brushes back and forth on my cheek. I know this. "You are naive. You will be . . . safe with my brother and I."

Brother. He has a brother.

His hand drops and I touch my cheek. Caressing. That was what that was. A display of affection.

The canyon walls loom over us, keeping us ensnared in this scar. We're going the opposite direction A2 went. Maybe the humans have set a trap that way. Will she be able to find me?

I've thought about bringing her up to Adam, but for some reason I don't. It just feels like I shouldn't.

"Your brother," I murmur.

He resumes walking.

I follow. "Where's he at?"

"I am taking you to him. To our home: a very beautiful city, Ribbon."

A city.

I stop, my throat tight. Am I ready for a city?

Adam peers back at me.

"I—I—"

"It is a very peaceful and quiet place." His voice is like silk. "Are you afraid?"

"I get . . . overwhelmed easily."

"Oh." He puts a hand to his chest and his smile is sharp. "I do, too. Curiosity, mostly."

We keep walking, and he turns to the right abruptly.

"Me, too." I'm unable to keep a smile off my face. "Sometimes I'm so curious I think I'm going to just shut down. Overload. Even though,"—I give a small laugh—"I'm not a machine."

"I know exactly how you feel." He grabs my arm, harsher than necessary, and steers me into a dark crevice. I shouldn't be afraid. Of course their home is hard to find.

Even so, I can't help but say, "I'm scared. I can't see well in the dark," even though he should be perfectly aware how inefficient human eyesight can be.

"Mmm." His grip tightens until I hiss through my teeth. "Do not worry. I won't let you go, Ribbon."

"It hurts, Adam."

His hold loosens. "Tell me about it, Ribbon. The fear you're feeling."

"Huh?"

"Is your heart racing? Do you feel cold? How is your breathing? Is it affecting you psychologically and physically—both, or just one?"

He sounds like Nines, but kinda evil. I'm scared, yeah, but the thought makes me laugh, and I feel Adam waver in front of me.

I should probably explain, in case he thinks I'm insane. "You're kinda intense, Adam."

"You're . . . afraid, but laughing?"

"Yeah, nervous-fear maybe."

"That is new. Very interesting."

We're in the pitch dark. If he wasn't leading me I would likely be hitting every wall.

"A-Adam."

"Almost there."

"How can you see where we're going?"

He's quiet a moment. "I've walked this path many times. What is it about fear that's made you laugh?"

"Well, I don't understand it myself." I try to keep my voice upbeat. "The way you ask questions is kind of funny. You're like me."

"Then you really do find us similar?"

It's so dark and it's almost like I don't have a body. I'm speaking to a voice, a voice with no owner. Adam and I are nothing but disembodied voices in a dark place with nothing around us. Empty, but full—full of words, wonder, the experiences of meeting a stranger for the first time and unravelling them piece by piece, word by word.

"I want to know more about you, too," I say. "My whole life has been not only learning, but also unlearning. Old concepts that don't make sense anymore. Adam." I grab him back like my thoughts are suddenly urgent to us both. "I read about this thing called a 'schema' and how our brain creates these things to simplify our perception and understanding of the world. If something happens that contradicts our schema, it's very difficult for our brain to accept it as real." I'm out of breath, one part exhilarated and one part desperate. "If our schema wins, we can go to extraordinary lengths to reject that new concept, even if it's painfully obvious to others."

I have more to say, but I make myself stop. I don't want him to think I'm nuts.

But what I've just said is something I've personally recognised: when I thought I was a machine.

Now it's absolutely ridiculous, but at the time, I believed it vehemently despite copious evidence.

"We're almost there," Adam says.

He sounds breathless.

"Hee." I trail along with more assurance. "Talking is a pretty good way to distract yourself from fear, isn't it?"

I sense him stop, so I do too. There is a red light floating in front of us. It turns green, and I hear a whirring sounds.

"An elevator?" It sounds just like the elevator A2 and I took to get down to this place.

"Ah, yes. You know of these?"

"Just rode my first one today."

"Come." He walks me in.

The sensation I will run smack into the doors does not happen. He just knew it'd opened. He's fantastic.

"Adam?" I lean back against the wall I assume is there because I know this elevator thing is small.

"Yes?"

I avert my gaze, despite being unable to see. "What's your brother's name?"

"Eve."

"Oh." I smile to myself. "I've never had siblings. Is it . . . nice?"

"Yes, very."

"Are we able to go back and find Noggin later?" My voice is soft. "I kinda feel bad leaving him."

"That machine? Is it like your brother?"

"Ew, no." I wrinkle my nose. "More like a pet. But it's kind of defenseless, isn't it? I feel bad leaving it like that."

"What an unexpected human you are."

The whirring stops and the doors slide open.

I shield my eyes from the bright white ahead of me. The contrast sends shooting stabs of pain through my eyes and into my brain. Adam grabs my elbow and drags me out. He's totally fine with the juxtaposition of light? He's tough.

"Wait, wait."

He drops my elbow.

I stand amongst the light, squinting, waiting for the pain to subside. Slowly, I open wider until I can actually see what's around me.

I've never seen anything like this before.

For a moment, I can't breathe. It's like I've been squeezed so tight I've no hope for air or rational thought. It is indeed a city in some definition of the word, but as beautiful as it is: it is desolate. The loneliness that stems from the block-buildings, white as a shock, separated only by shadow, is crippling.

I can't move.

It hurts to look at, and not because of how light it all is.

If emptiness had a physical form, this would be it.

"Is this . . ." I do a slow spin, taking in all the towering blocks, "what humans are?"

"Hm." Adam's watching me carefully. "No, very unlikely. This is simply data, Ribbon."

I snap out of it.

Right.

What was I expecting? Actual human civilisation?

"Did the androids make this place for humans to be hidden and safe?" I ask.

Adam pauses, and then smiles. "Yes, exactly."

"Are androids colourblind, I wonder?"

"You don't like it." Adam sounds mildly disappointed.

"Oh, no. It's—it's just unexpected." I grin at him. "As long as you're safe, who cares?"

"You are no longer afraid?"

I shake my head.

He leans down, and for some reason, twirls a strand of my unruly hair in one finger. "We've a lot to do, Ribbon."

I reach up and twirl a piece of his long silver hair in return. "Is this your way of saying 'welcome'?"

He laughs, airy and pleased. "Let's say it's my way of saying 'you'll be staying a while'."

I'm about to reply, but a searing pain erupts in my scalp. A yelp rips out of me as the pain shoots through my nervous system.

Adam straightens, holding a clump of my hair. Blood stains his glove.

Shakily, I touch the area of my assaulted head, and feel the warm flow of blood. I stare up at Adam in disbelief. He just yanked out an entire chunk of my fucking hair.

"Let's study this, shall we?" He's already walking down the white corridor, completely in his own world. "Come, Ribbon. My brother will be thrilled to meet you."

I take a wary step. Could Adam's social skills be worse than mine? Is that even possible?

I look back at the elevator.

Adam stops walking and peers back at me. "Ribbon?"

Reluctant, I follow.

A/N: Ribbon, upgraded to Every Horror Movie Protagonist.

I'm considering cross posting to Archive of Our Own as per a reader's suggestion. I'm not too familiar with it, but if anyone has any thoughts on that, I'm all ears!