Recalibrating...
No.
Recalibrating...
No. Please no!
It's not polite to not express gratitude for an act of service. Let us meet the fool wise enough to help so I may kill them slowly and painfully...
The gray and lifeless form of herself stalks the conscious panel, eyeing each control and keying in commands to awaken her from. With each sequence leading to no change on the blank screen, it growls at its failed attempts. Chica remains under a pile of rubble, seemingly embracing the slight warmth and comfort. Sounds indicating failed commands and the frustration growls of the entity prompts her to not move.
Errors surrounding the area lets her know that in spite of the recalibration of being brought back online, it is unknown on the current status of the process. Questions flood her subconscious: Who reactive her, and how were they able to do it? Physically, to the outside world, she is still shut down as the recalibration works its magic. It must have taken a supernatural act to bring her online , knowing that she's permanently decommissioned, in theory.
And why would they do this? This last question troubles her. She had her own attempts to stop the darken half of her from reactivating the system, unable to barge an inch. With each failure, she finds relief. She did not want to be revived. She had been ready to go in peace, her entire being rusting in the midst of the night. She's seen a hand, but it could be a systematic error.
But it looked real, even in darkness, it looked so real – who is this person? Everyone has seen and heard of the terror she brought. She was convinced that people had chased her to that very spot, guns in tow, wanting to permanently seal the monster that she is. She contemplates on who would be so foolish to revive her, knowing of the consequences and inevitable death?
You! She is pulled from her comfort rubble and thrown to a wall aside the conscious panel, staring counterclockwise at the darken entity raging at her.
Can I help you?
Fix this!
Nope, I think I'm good. Her response rewards her with a kick to the hip and middle. The pain is worth it. In here, it cannot control her. The worst it could do is throw her through the portal of eternal darkness and void.
You are worthless, a pathetic fool! How I continue to long for the day of your demise!
She scoffs, straightening her view. So do it. Throw me into the void. She nods her head towards the portal. Go on, I won't stop you. Least I can't feel anything there.
It grabs her by the throat, pressing her towards the hole. She could feel the cold piercing a part of her side while it was glaring back.
Do not taunt me weakling! I own you; you have nothing to save you! No friends, no useless cure, nothing!
If I have nothing, then it should be no problem to dispose of me.
It throws her again, crushing her back to the pile of rubble. She shakily lays there, gathering her wits before releasing a sigh. You could have let me go back under here. It was quite comfy.
Silence you! It resumes its position at the panel, rapidly pressing buttons. The screen only repeats its words of 'recalibrating', angering the entity to slam on the controls.
Can we at least agree that whoever reactivated me is stupid for doing so? Unless they're doing it to completely take me apart – then we're both out of existence. I'm fine with that too.
I said silence!
Well, that's not very polite of you.
The entity glares at Chica, who holds her hands up.
Show yourself! It sneers at a set of eyes peeking through the window pane ajar to the door.
The eyes squint in chuckles. Oh, if you so insist. It teleports through the door, Chica's beak drops.
It's her – again?
This Chica is a whiter and brighter version of herself. So bright that it hinders the shadow and it hisses in response. This version turns to Chica and waves, adding to her bafflement.
Oh, hey girlie! Long time no see!
You! I got rid of you! How are you still alive?!
Good question, I have no idea. You would think the virus would have permanently disabled me, but here I am. Got any pizza in here?
The shadow version growls and grows slightly bigger than the other. You're too late, you cannot stop me! I am impenetrable! Neither one of you can stop me!
Yeah, yeah, yeah – you said that for the 1000thtime, get a new monologue.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Both of you, knock it off! Chica snaps at the two and receives a hiss from the darker. What is going on here? Who are you? She points to the light version.
Uh, duh! I'm you! The light sings. Well, the good side of you.
And I supposed this one's the monstrous virus version?
Another hiss.
Yeah, no. That one's a bit nutty in the nogging, but she's you, too.
Recalibrating...
Out of my way! The dark version pushes through the two, but the light version grabs the darker by the nape, pushing it away from the console and against the wall. Chica stares at the two in disbelief.
Are you kidding me? I've been fighting her for weeks and you touch it and cause damage? Where have you been?
Would have been here sooner, but the anti-viral software is quite dumb. It kept leading around in circles and I had to battle a few viral bots with little help. Still a hottie though. So anyways, you're still looking confused and I totally get that. Like I was saying, we're both you – the subconscious side of you. We help you navigate with different roles while storing memories. I'm the A.I. that runs your system and the coding.
And her?
Grumpy girl usually don't act unless someone poses a threat or if anyone's in danger. And don't get me started when your safety protocols are off or there's an intruder. She shutters. When it gets messy, it gets messy. She takes over to block your memory of the event should something happen – you won't remember the gruesome details, lucky you. Like that one time with that pedophile – ugh, what a loser. Glad she's away and done with.
Chica remembers a woman that had been making children uncomfortable. Next thing she knew, she's back in her greenroom and had been informed that the woman was dead. She killed a person?
Don't overthink it, she was in the PizzaPlex after hours and had it coming.
But how come I can't remember that?
Because you can get traumatized and that creates a permanent code that we can't get rid of. I prefer to have as little of those in here as possible.
It was Chica's turn to glare at the darker side. You're supposed to be helping me? Then why did you try to kill me and take over?
I don't answer you! You ruthless, insignificant – the light version walked over and placed a hand to the dark version's forehead, making it go limb. More disbelief, was it really that simple?
She's making my head hurt. Girl gets corrupted with the virus and her persona distorts in ways I never thought possible. I'm keeping a watch on her for a while. She got corrupted with a virus, one that took me forever to negate through. Shout out to that reversal code. Cute, but a dummy.
It's official, her systems are out of whack – she's gone insane. What robot has a good side and a bad side? That's so humane. But if she has a good and a bad, then who is she in all this?
You are the conscious of your very existence. Please don't ask me what that is, I don't have a PH.D in robo-physiology or any more patience to explain, so I'll sum it down to this. You, Chica, are you.
Chica stares wearily at the disabled version. Is she going to remember?
Most likely not. For your safety and for my peace of mind, she'll be rebooted and have no means of who she is. Much like your first day of activation. Which means I have to be the one to fill her in on a rather long story. Which means I need to do a lot of studying to combat that task, oye.
I don't want her here.
She's not dangerous – compromised, yes, but she isn't a threat to you, unless you choose her to be one. Highly unrecommended. Otherwise, she's not as mean as you think she is. A bit grumpy, yes - er - sometimes, but she's passionate for making and keeping things right. Plus, she has some good dark humor. You need to let her take over when Moon's around. They're hilarious together.
Around them, colors flourish to represent her greenroom – colorful and lively.
Yay! All done! What's life without a little color? Boring, that's what! You should be physically waking up any second now.
You were the one to reboot my system?
Uh-huh!
Why?!
Why not girly? That virus was literally killing all of us and I am not ready to retire and be transport to another animatronic. Actually, that's just a myth, but I'd imagine myself as Monty's subconscious, that gator scares the light out of me, literally.
Unbelievable.
Now let's get you back to the PizzaPlex and repaired so I can take a vacation, ooh! Can we get pizza on the way there?
I can't go back there.
But –
Haven't you noticed what was going on? I got replaced, everyone is mad at me, half of the world wants me destroyed and – She hiccups, a couple of tears escape from her seething anger. I almost killed Gregory. She rocks herself.
You did not! Don't you go blaming yourself.
You said so yourself, I can't remember anything horrific, so who's to say that I did do it?
But you didn't.
Well, I didn't do a great job protecting him! Now everyone hates my guts. I don't blame them; I am a monster.
Oh Cheeks, you are anything but that. The lighter version pats her head. A sigh. I reallydislike having trauma codes around, but for you to have a peace of mind, I'll allow it.
Really?
You're not going to like it.
I have to know.
I know, you're not going to like that we got to awake spicy over there and access the conscious panel memory. It'll only work for the current version who had control that time.
Of course, it does.
Wakey, wakey C3! The light shakes the dark until the purple iris opens. If you get confused, you can always refer to her as C3 and me as C2.
I'll keep that in mind.
My head – ah! Really, you're hovering in my bubble because?
Because you owe me a seamstress for sticking me in the C94 section.
Why am I here? I don't remember getting here. C3 glances at her two counterparts and looks around. The eyes! Where are those eyes! That no good virus got me and I'm going to kick its –
Get up, I will explain everything later, but we need you to access the conscious panel.
Okay, at least tell me the information of the event to filter the infinity memories I have stored.
Chica fumbles with her thumbs. I need to know what happened to Gregory, he was attacked and nearly died. I know it wasn't me, but everyone thinks I hurt him. I need to see what happened through your eyes. She explains and C3's eyes widen.
No! Not that one. Anything but that recall. C3 shakes, turning a bit darker. I didn't want too, he made me. I tried to resist it. Things got bad but then I had some control, and...
So, can you do it?
Why can't you? You were here when it happened, I remember that, but how come you don't know.
You knocked me into the void! All I remember is seeing blood on my hands but I couldn't remember anything in that place! Chica points at the hole behind them. C2 grimaces. Yeah, I should go close that. You get lost in there, you're done for. Bound to inexistence, aka, getting deleted.
I wasn't myself Chica and I'm sorry, I know you don't trust me and I get that, but don't make me do this. I don't even want to know what happened.
We can all sort out everything later on, I'm still new to your presence and roles. Please C3, I have to know. Chica kneels and pleads. I have to gain clarity.
Okay. They both approach the panel and C3 places her hand on the outline. Put your hand on top of mine.
Okay. Hand on top of hand, Chica's vision darkens. Second after second the incident played before her. Everything that she couldn't see before, blinded to a foggy cloud, comes to unravel what took place that day.
