Factory Reset
"Ahh, come on already! You've been like that for the past couple of weeks already. Why won't you talk to me?"
What is with this robot? Even though it can now see and hear me without error thanks to that sentimonster I created, it's now ignoring me?
"I don't get you. First you attacked me when you couldn't see where I was, then you attacked me again when you finally could.. and now you're acting like some spoiled brat."
I seethed.
"Just what is your deal?"
Proto's ignoring me again.
"Ugh. Fine. Have it your way."
I phased through the stone walls of the facility leaving Proto to their own devices.
"Just how the hell did I get into this mess? Why did it have to be me?"
I let out a sigh of exasperation. Yeah, using my sentimonster, the same one which allows for Proto to see and hear me, I could just order that machine around, but what would be the point in that? It's treating me as if I was mere background.
My stomach rumbles. I head over to the facility's canteen to grab something to eat.
A grape.
Well looks like food's stocked up again. That's good I guess. Stil… when is Miawa coming? When will I see her again or even Erika?
{gulp}
This grape is good.
…
I miss her. I miss them. It just doesn't seem right. Here I am, waiting again for them. It just feels so lonely..
…
…
Ah cheer up, Duusu. You know this arrangement can't last forever, right? Yeah, pretty soon or later she'll have to show up. She always does and when she does, can you imagine the look of joy she'll have on her face?
Teehee.
I bet she'll have a look of belated joy on her face. Her eyes will be like the sun!
Ah!... if it were only so however.
What with how Proto's been treating me, I don't know if it's even worth it. I mean, it's not like that machine could hold anything against me, right? I haven't done anything to offend it. It's me who's being wronged me. I'm entirely in the right!
…
..okay, I suppose there might have been one or two things I said or did.. but that was mostly my sentimonster.
{sigh}
I guess since I created that sentimonster and since that sentimonster does have to obey my orders, whatever that sentimonster does is reflected back onto me.
"Maybe this is all a mistake."
What was I thinking creating Transceiver? Sure that sentimonster's allowed me to deepen my relationship with that robot, but can I really say much of anything has changed? It's already been 3 weeks and still that robot insist on acting like I'm not there! It just baffles me!
{sigh}
I suppose some of the fault does lie with me. After all, I did use my sentimonster to order it around and I could feel it resisting my commands.
Resistance. No, that's not it. It was more of a pang of hostility. Of hurt. Of me commanding it? That's absurd, but I don't know what to think of this situation any more. Maybe it would've been better if I had never created Transceiver. Maybe I should've never tried to deepen, nay, expand my relationship with that machine. Yeah, that's it. It's time I fixed the wrongs that I created.
Floating up, I closed my eyes.
This is it. I've made my decision.
Transceiver. I am now-
Bam!
Transceiver. What is going on?
Wait. That's the sound of gun fire. Just what is going on out there? Proto should already have the place locked and secured, so who could be attacking us at this hour?
I phase out of the canteen. I smell fire and burning metals.
Did the Agency already get us? But that would be early, so who or what is it then?
I see 4 helicopters hovering on top firing their mounted machine guns at Proto. Not good. Looks like their doing quite a decent number on Proto.
…
Should I really help that so called 'master' of mine? I mean, like I could always use another holder. Maybe one of them would like to take me instead. It can't be any worse than having-
Bam!
Rckt ddttaaa rckt ddtttaaa
I float up to one of the helicopters and phase inside. As expected there are humans inside and these faces I recognize. They are members of the Advanced Sciences Society, but why are they attacking own of their facilities and one of their units to boot? Isn't that a waste of resources?
Advanced Sciences Society Member A: "That's it. We got it. Just a few more hits and we'll have this thing taken out of the works- what the?!"
Duusu: "Greetings. I'm Duusu, the Peacock Kwami. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsumi."
Tsumi: "H- how do you my name?"
Duusu: "Oh I know more than just your name, Tsumi. We're going to be good friends. Why, I can already see-"
Bam! The helicopter's incinerating. Proto must've used its high bore laser emitter to melt down the helicopter. Looks like I won't be able to use this one for my next Holder. I phase outside and see the same thing happening to the others. Guess that robot must've killed them all.
!
This feeling. What is thing feeling? I clutch my chest. It hurts
Duusu: "Aaugh. The pain.. no, not that. I feel it coming. It's a numbness… like what happened back when.."
Transceiver! What is going on with Proto?
Transceiver: Danger! Critical error! Proto is breaking down, Master Duusu
Shit! That's what I'm feeling. Oh no, oh no, oh no! If that thing breaks down before I can find another Holder-
No! I cannot let that happen. I won't let that happen. I've been stuck in that endless void for far too long, of that cold dark silence!
If the holder of my Miraculous goes down while I'm still active, I'll be put back into that state of oblivion until the next wielder arrives. And who knows how long that will be! I don't have the time for this! I don't have the luxury!
Duusu: Transceiver! Here are my commands. Transmit to me Proto's current location.
So that's where Proto is. Not good. There are other Society robots nearby. If 'master' goes down, I'll be-
I won't let that happen.
In order to prevent myself from falling into that state of oblivion, my 'master' must live on. It is the result of what happens when a kwami's holder is prematurely terminated while the Miraculous is still active and it's what's happened a couple of times already. I don't want that to happen me, not now. I've got to move.
Duusu: "PRT1RTX.0037c. Now entering command. Follow me."
If I can just get that machine so further distance away from the others, I could-
No, that won't do. The others are more or less evenly matched with Proto's. Proto won't be able to keep away.
Duusu: "PRT1RTX.0037c. Now entering command. Aim your M61 at the Advanced Combat Flying Drone Unit A to your upper left."
As expected the Advanced Combat Flying Drone Unit A has shifted over to the right to avoid being shot at, however-
Duusu: PRT1RTX.0037c. Now entering command. Aim and fire your Arm Rocket launchers 279 degrees from you central position, 22.3 to the zenith, track and aim fire your spread launcher at me and aim and fire your high bore laser emitter at anything that tries to interfere with your previous command!"
There . That's it. Hahaha. I'm good at this. Since the other robots don't seem to be able to even sense me, they must be ordinary machines not enhanced by Miraculous magic. Look at them fumble about. This will be easy. In just a matter of-
Duusu: "Nani?!"
One of the Flying Combat Drone units had a bomb attached to it? Oh shit, it's going to
Duusu: "PRT1RTX.0037c. Now entering command. Override all previous orders. Just follow me."
I've got to get Proto out of there. Come on, Proto. You've got to survive. You've gotta…I don't want to go back there. Not now. I can't have you dying on me, it's important that you don't.
…
Whew. Looks I managed to make.
Duusu: "Teehee. See, I can be quite handy, wouldn't you agree Proto. Now I think it's about time you and I had a little heart to conversation, so how about you stop with all that cold talk."
…
Proto's not responding.
Duusu: "Pff. Figures you'd be like this. But it's alright. I forgive you."
Proto's not moving.
Duusu: "Well, guess we'll just have to wait until all the gunfire dies down and-"
Proto's just staring there.. no.. No! It can't be!
Shit! Don't tell me Proto's already taken this much damage. Wait. There's still a chance I can-
The amok. The one I put inside of it, the one that allows us to communicate with each other. Transceiver's amok.
Proto's not responding my commands anymore. They can't, not without the the amok. Not without Transceiver and it doesn't matter anymore.
Proto's taken so much damage I can see them breaking down in front of me.
Duusu: "M-master… don't die. I don't want you to die. I can't have you die on me, I won't, I won't- goddamnit! You are not going down. Hang in there, I'll save you. I'll fix you all up and when this is done-"
There's hardly any time left.
{sigh}
Floating over Proto's dying body, I hovered near the chest cavity. Then I closed my eyes and pushed my hands inside.
A connection. I feel a connection. Now draw to it. Link to it. Follow it.
A heat surges in my hands as I pull them out and open my eyes.
Duusu: "So that's the type of processing software that was to create you."
It's a good thing I've been carrying this extra feather around.
I create another amok.
Duusu: "Now to save the master…Constructulate! Connect to that robot you see."
My robot sentimonster plugs its cables into Proto. With their connection, I'll be able to use my skills as a kwami computer programmer to save Proto. Here goes nothing.
…
Nope. They're not salvageable any longer, in fact they're barely hanging on. I'll have to take drastic measures.
Duusu: Constructulate! Keep Proto's body stabilized. Open their memory rom.
Proto's hips separate, their waist bulges forwards and out pops a disk. A memory disk. I grab onto it.
Duusu: Constructulate. Bring Proto's robotic body along with me
Huh? That's weird. I'm feeling something strange from this memory disk but I can't figure out what it is.. It's cracked.
A black and purple magical butterfly flies out however I rush up and tear it by its wings. An akuma. So the Butterfly Miraculous is active after all. Ah ha! That must be the reason- no. I sense no changes in this robot which means that this akuma wasn't meant for Proto, but in that case, for who?
…
Yes, if I can use Proto as a base for my amok, then surely someone else can do the same thing for an akumatized champion. It's happened before. As long as it's something that's treasured by the recipient, any object can be used to house an akuma. In either case though, even though they were used as a base for an akumatized item, they themselves were never the recipient for the akuma itself.
Ah, it doesn't matter. Stop getting sidetracked here, Duusu. You have a mission to do, don't you?
I place Proto's memory disk into one of the Society's computers and begin typing away.