Rescue Mission

"No, I do not sleep but I can if I so choose to."

Aoi: "Is that so. What about food? You are a living creature, yes?"

"In a matter speaking yes. I am. We kwamis don't really need to eat, sleep or drink however. We are timeless and immortal, that said however, the sensation of communing with mortals is something we do enjoy and as for myself, I particularly like meat such as bacon, hamburgers, fried insects-. Mm. Can't go wrong with fried insects. Let's just say I love eating meat. Don't worry though, I don't have any dietary needs so it's all 'kay with me."

Aoi looks perplexed. I should clarify myself.

"In summary, no. It is not necessary for me to eat but if I do, there are benefits."

Aoi: "Necessary?... added dietary needs. The dietary needs of Duusu is 0."

Well, technically I don't actually have to eat but that's assuming one doesn't use-

Aoi: "Duusu. Have you ever had-"

"Live prey? No. I don't like my meat alive and thrashing. That's just too much for me. I prefer them to be dead."

This brings me back to some memories of me and Miawa. Sometimes she would feed me some of the…

Huh. Well I never ate them while they were alive. They were dead, so it should be okay. Besides, like she said I was just helping to clear up the pestilence. Miawa sure knows what's best. And now thanks to her care, I've got to do the same for this charge of mine.

Aoi: "Understood."

"Ah well, if you need my help I'll be right by you. Just holler if you need me to do something for you."

At the very least, it's the least I can do. Hopefully it makes up for all the nonsense I pulled off earlier.

"

We've gone to another section of the A.S.S. facility building. Aoi picks up a crowbar and pries open a few of the large canisters. It's industrial waste, chemical waste..

"Duusu. Swallow these."

I lap up the poisons. To me, I don't need to worry, being immortal and all I won't die.

"Ack!"

She just sprayed with some of that acid! Heheh, well that took me by surprise. Still, that was rude of her.

"Was that even necessary?"

Aoi: "It is necessary."

"Well if you had to know, I am immune."

Of course if you were paying attention earlier when I said I was immortal, of course I wouldn't-

No wait. Well actually I think I see her point now. Yeah, immortality wouldn't address why I'm impervious to these acids and poisons however.

Aoi: "Immune? You're saying your immune."

"Why yes. Poisons and acids don't affect me, nor highly concentrated bases. I could be placed near the event horizon of a black hole and I could easily fly through and back without getting spaghettified. A complete vacuum, extreme temperatures… none of that matters to me. We kwamis are magical beings after all."

Aoi: "Magic? Magic does not exist, Duusu. You are are not magical. That brooch you are referring to is not magical. Everything can explained through science."

"Oh really now. Well, if that's why you'd like to-"

Aoi: "Thank you for your services, but you are no longer necessary. This concludes our 'friendship.' Your request has already been fulfilled."

Uh what. Hold on. You're saying…

"What a minute, Ao- I mean, Proto. Are you sure you should really be making a rash decision like that? Eh- what if you regret later on? You've seen what I can do, right? Surely you can't deny my value."

…

She's ignoring me. Whelp, guess it's back to stage 1 again.

A few days later…

"Nggh. Hey. Why don't you say something? Just anything? Oh. So you're just going to ignore me. Heh, what you do what you have to do. I'll be here if you need me."

Ever since I've personally repaired Aoi, not much has changed. She's still as cold as ever and though she was willing to converse with me at first, our friendship did not last long. I don't know if it was something I did but-

(sigh)

Just why would you accept to throw away most of your humanity like that, Aoi? What purpose does it bring? I'd really like to know that.

"Off for more resource scavenging? Well you take care. I'll keep down the fort."

She's gone outside for her daily resource gathering task.

I can't believe I'm doing this now. How trite have I become that I'm observing her daily activities to get any sort of meaning out of this decorum. It's so boring here.

Transceiver. Stay inside the entrance security box for me. Let me know if anyone else comes here."

Transceiver: Understood, Master Duusu. It shall be done.

After fixing Aoi, I remade the sentimonster that I had used earlier to make communication between the two of us easy and convenient. Sure, her human side can just see and hear me, but with the way she's acting, she's mostly just machine now so I'd rather have a more reliable method of communion.

Well since I don't have much of anything else to do, I think I'm just gonna take a nap for now.

A few hours later…

{Yawn}

My that was a great nap. How long have I been asleep for? Let's see.. I took a nap around 7:12AM today… right now it's 12:12PM. Oh. So it's been 5 hrs.

I see Aoi leave the building. She must've finished recharging already. I shake my head. What was I thinking? That our relationship would improve just because I did that? I want to play with her, get to know her better. But how can I get her to open up?

Transceiver. What do you think I should do in this situation?

…

No response. I guess I shouldn't have-

Transceiver: I think you should persevere for now, Master Duusu.

Duusu: You think so?

Transceiver: Why yes, Master Duusu. Clearly that girl has a lot of things missing, her humanity to be exact. If we don't stick with her, you may never know why she did what she did. Also there's the fact, cyborg girl or not, she is still your master. You wouldn't want her to go permanently offline while that was still the case, would you?

Duusu: Haha, I guess not.

Transceiver: That's why we've gotta keep it together.

Duusu: Still, at times it feels like a thankless job.

Transceiver: Ai, I know. It can get really tough, but we're not here to get rewarded. Just doing good is its own reward in of itself, Master Duusu.

I smiled. My sentimonster's right. Just like it's always been, I've gotta put my effort into it, even if that means just patiently waiting for an opportunity to occur.

!

Duusu: Say! I just got an ideal.

Transceiver: What is it, Master Duusu?

Duusu: Maybe there's a hint to helping Master Aoi into recovering herself somewhere deep within her psyche. I'm going to enter her memories. Memory walk.

Transceiver: So you're going to use that skill of yours. Very well, Master Duusu. I wish you the best of luck.

Memory Walk, or perhaps I should really call it subconscious prying. To use it, I must first prepare for myself a special concoction made using a leaf from a still green maple tree, grounded up cicadas (4), 3 teaspoons of cumin and an unpolished agate stone. Guess I'll be retrieving these ingredients now.

I phased through the building in search of the goods I needed to prepare the Memory Walking concoction. By the time I arrived back it was 4:19 PM. With all the ingredients at hand, I got a pot of water, turned on the burner, placed the maple leaf inside until the water began to boil, poured in the crushed cicadas after around 2 minutes of boiling. At around 3 minutes I started stirring in the 3 teaspoons of cumin methodically then at the 5 minute mark I dropped in the unpolished agate stone. Altogether 7 minutes were used to prepare this concoction. I drank the potion. Now all that's needed for me is to sleep. When she does return to charge up, I'll be able to walk into her subconscious to see what's going on and from there, help her. I only have 3 days to do this and I need to be sleeping while this happens in order for this to work. If I wake up, the spell will end prematurely until the next time I fall asleep.

Aoi. What is hidden within you? What of your humanity that has been locked away? That I will find out. That I will help you recover the true you, not this shambling mechanic doll with hardly any pieces of her humanity left. My eyes are closing.

Soon… very soon indeed.

Blackness. I am calm. I only need to wait.

Wait

Wait..

…

Uh, hold on. How long have I been asleep for? Let's see… the current time is… another 5 hours have passed, hasn't it.

Strange. She's not here.

…

Maybe she got another command from HQ? Did she perhaps take one of those portable charging stations? Yeah, that's gotta be it. That has to be why I didn't enter her subconscious earlier. Well I might as well go find her then. Ah, but before that, I should run one last security check of this place myself. First step is the access door. Does it still work?

…

..?

This door doesn't have any electricity flowing into it. Ah man. Did the power jump or something? Guess I'm going to have to-

Transceiver: Master Duusu! This is an emergency.

Duusu: What is it?

Transceiver: The electricity leading to that access door didn't jump. It was drained.

!

Duusu: Meaning-

Transceiver: An intruder. We have an intruder.

Duusu: I see. I'll intercept them.

Transceiver: Quickly now! They're coming up to the access door.

…

Duusu: Go to the security camera.

Transceiver: I can't. The power's been drained from the front entrance security camera as well. The power's starting to fade out here as well!

…

Guess there's only one thing I can do here. I phased into the floor and waited patiently. Within a few seconds the access door had opened and in stepped the intruder.

The intruder looked around. This was the place alright. How easy it was for them to impede on their facility, the defenses of the Society was nothing they couldn't-

?: "Hold it ri- ai wha- wha- Aoi?!"

Duusu's eyes widened as he saw who the intruder was. It was Aoi.

Aoi: "Duusu!"

Duusu: "Aoi!"

Aoi: "Oh Duusu. How I missed you. Oh that silly face. Did you think I was an intruder or something?"

Duusu: "Well, uh- I wasn't- Yes! No, I mean-"

Aoi: "Don't worry yourself over it Duusu. I was just testing out my new updates I got from the Society."

Duusu: "Updates? Wait. You're using first person?"

Aoi: "Oh. So you noticed. That's right. The Society's thought that my constant usage of third person in reference to myself may prove somewhat detrimental should it ever come that they want me to engage in social espionage. I mean, like with how this robot girl was talking earlier, wouldn't I sound strange?"

Duusu: "Haha, I guess so."

Aoi: "Also, I calculate you'll be somewhat happy to know they've also installed a humor module. Now I can crack all sorts of jokes. Let's start with a classic. Why did the chicken cross the road?"

A humor module. I began giggling.

Aoi: "What's so funny? Was it really all that funny?"

Duusu: "Ah no. No. I was just thinking-"

Aoi looked at me raising one of her eyebrows.

Aoi: "Oh I thought I'd just let you know that my handlers basically confirmed what you said about me."

Duusu: "They did."

Aoi: "Yeah. Apparently they thought it was time I rediscovered the truth about what happened to me. Said something about wanting to see how I'd behave if I learned what I used to be, a human girl named Nishi Aoi, Nishi's my surname and Aoi's my given name. Anyways Duusu. I want to apologize for all that cold treatment I was giving to you earlier. You were right after all. I used to be human. With that out of the way, let's be friends. It's what you want, isn't it?"

Duusu: "Hahah, yes. Yes I shall become your-"

Transceiver: M-

Duusu: Is something up, Transceiver?

…

Transceiver: Have you managed to track down the intruder yet?

Duusu: Oh that. In a manner of speaking I have,

Transceiver: Meaning?

Duusu: Well right now I'm talking with Master Aoi. It turns out this was all some sort of elaborate prank she was pulling off as part of her latest module, the humor module. Anyways, it should be safe for you to come back now.

…

Transceiver: I can't.

Aoi walked a few steps forwards.

Transceiver: The power's starting to fade out here as well. Listen Master Duusu. Clearly something's not right here.

…

Duusu: You're right.

Aoi: "Hm? Is something on your mind Duusu?"

Duusu: "Aoi. How did you manage to drain out all the electricity like that?

Aoi paused as though to ponder a response.

Aoi: "Sorry. I can't say. That's my secret."

Duusu: "Hmm. Most curious. Anyways, don't you think you should turn the power back on? It's kinda risky having a compromised security access door, what with hardly any power running to the front sector..

Aoi: "Ah well-"

Duusu: "That is, if you can. You. You're not Aoi."

Aoi looked shocked, her face downcast. Then she began laughing.

Aoi: "Aha. Hahaha. Haahahaaha! Aw, and here I was, hoping I would be able to mess around with, play around with you more. You're right, Duusu. I'm not Aoi."

Duusu: "What are you?"

The fake Aoi giggled as from the tips of her fingernails to the bottoms of her toes a series of fluctuating dark green 1's and 0's as though they were cast against a black backdrop snaked themselves all around. Digitalized, pixelated, the only parts that didn't change were her clothing, if this fake Aoi could even be consider a she after all.

Duusu: "Trixx?!"

Trixx shook his head and gave a little bow as that same transformation overtook him transforming him into-

Duusu: "Miawa?"

Just as quickly as Trixx had turned into Miawa, Miawa turned into Gabriel Agreste and from Gabriel Agreste into a young girl that Duusu knew not the name to or had ever seen in any of the previous iterations before finally returning back to the form of Aoi.

Duusu: "You're a shapeshifter."

Fake Aoi: "Of sorts, yes. Yep. That's what I am. By the way, Duusu. What made you suspect me?"

Duusu: "That's an easy one. Electricity or rather the lack of it."

Fake Aoi: "Hm?"

Duusu: "The real Aoi works a lot with the Society's machinery on a daily basis. She most certainly never had the same effect on these machines as you do. Tell me. Do you eat electricity?"

The Fake Aoi nods their head.

Fake Aoi: "But being who she is, doesn't the real Aoi also eat electricity? I mean, she still needs to recharge herself."

Duusu: "Not to the extent that you do. Did you not think I'm not observant of my holders? I learn about them inside and out."

The fake Aoi smiles as though pleased.

Fake Aoi: "Very good. Yes, very good indeed Duusu. He was right. You are an improvement. Ah, I'd love to stay and play with you some more Duusu. It's been awhile since I've met another like me, another supernatural being. Alas I can't. I'm on a tight schedule here- but, then again, it's not as though my progenitor would have any problems with what I'm doing. Anyways, I'm guessing you're curious as to what happened to the real Aoi?"

I nod my head.

Fake Aoi: "Well right now she's being transported to another Society facility."

Duusu: "Do you know the reason why?"

The fake Aoi puffed their cheeks before blowing them out with their eyes closed.

Fake Aoi: "Say Duusu. Why are you so curious as to what's happening to her?"

Duusu: "She's my master, that's why."

Fake Aoi: "Your master. Hm, and that's all?"

Duusu: "What do you mean?"

Fake Aoi: "I mean, aren't you tired of it? Surely you can't be attached to her simply because she's your current holder. What about Miawa? Don't you have a duty to her as well?

…

Duusu: "What are you suggesting?"

The fake Aoi flexed their fingers.

Fake Aoi: "I'm saying you should take care of this opportunity. The real Aoi doesn't know I'm here. It's impossible for her to even know of my existence though I guess if she did, she'd know me as the grim reaper. At least, I think that's the closest approximation to what I am to machines. Anyhow, since she's not here, I can help arrange with you a much more worthy handler, a more understanding master."

Duusu: "I'm.. let me think about it."

Fake Aoi: "Oh take your time, Duusu. Remember. There's a whole world of possibilities out there. Why settle for less? It's not as though she'll ever improve."

Duusu: "Are you… saying I should abandon her?"

Fake Aoi: "Hm. Am I? I'm just proposing you choose your options carefully. This girl you're so worried about. She hardly has any of her humanity left. What are you going to do? I say you shouldn't play with her feelings like that, Duusu. It's not nice."

The fake Aoi paces around.

Fake Aoi: "To put it in simple terms, I think you'll be making a big mistake if you go help her."

Duusu: "And why is that? What are you saying? N- no. Nevermind that. I can't do it. I can't just abandon her. Besides, How do you know this is going to be a big mistake? It's not as though you know her."

The fake Aoi spins on their heels.

Fake Aoi: "Heheh, believe what you want. So? Will you do it? Are you going to place your trust in a girl you only think you know?"

…

Duusu: "Yes. I am. Even if it all turns out to be a mistake, I'll place my bet on her. You say I'm making a big mistake trusting her? I say I'm willing to take that risk."

Fake Aoi: "So you reject my offer in the end."

Duusu: "Right."

The fake Aoi sighs, shrugs their shoulders.

Fake Aoi: "I should've expected as much. You kwamis do have your limitations. Perhaps I was hoping for too much.

Duusu: "Perhaps you were."

The fake Aoi begins to leave before stopping at the entrance and turning their head to address the Peacock kwami.

Fake Aoi: "Oh. You wanted to know what's happening to your master right now."

Duusu: "Yes!"

Fake Aoi: "Right now they should be making their way to the next facility. There your master, the real Aoi will be disassembled, never to be put back into operations again I believe."

Duusu: "What!?"

Fake Aoi: "Oh don't look at me. I had nothing to do with that. I was only asked to infiltrate the Society. Obviously with my powers that was quite the cakewalk."

Duusu: "How long?"

Fake Aoi: "How long until they shut her down permanently?"

Duusu: "Yes."

Fake Aoi: "Hmm. If I had to make an estimate…"

Duusu leans in with intent.

Fake Aoi: "I'd say she has 5 hours to live.

Shit! Shit! I don't have time to be wasting here. I have to hurry! There has to be a way for me to-

Duusu: "Where are they?! Do you know which way they went?"

The fake Aoi nods their head. That was when Duusu noticed that the fake Aoi was clutching something that felt very familiar in their hands.

Duusu: "Is that… my Miraculous?"

Fake Aoi: "Oh this?"

The Fake Aoi opened their hands revealing the Peacock Miraculous.

…

Duusu: "How long have you been holding that?"

Fake Aoi: "Mm. Maybe 7 minutes. Don't know. It's not what I particularly came here for but I figured I'd at least bring it for you."

Duusu: "For me? What are you saying? You shouldn't steal you know."

Fake Aoi: "Steal? Oh no Duusu, this is not stealing. I'm just helping you to transfer your Miraculous. Besides, you have a range limit to how far away you can be from your Miraculous. 32,992 meters or roughly 20.5 miles to be exact."

Duusu: "I can just carry my own miraculous."

Fake Aoi: "True, but by the time that you arrived to save your precious master she would've been long dead. At least with me, I can give you a shortcut."

…

Duusu: "I don't get it."

Fake Aoi: "Don't get what?"

Duusu: "All this time that I've been talking to you, you've been holding onto my Miraculous pinned to that school uniform's blouse and yet you never used it. Why? You could've. Why try to barter with me?"

Wiggling their fingers, the fake Aoi breathed in slowly.

Fake Aoi: "Duusu! Spread my Feathers!"

Shit! Why did I do that? Why did just give that imposter the ideal to-

Uh hold on.

Duusu: "What's going on? Why am I not entering my Miraculous? Why aren't you being transformed? You said the transformation words so-"

Fake Aoi: "As you can see right here Duusu, the reason why I didn't just use your Miraculous is because I can't use your Miraculous. You saw me just try to transform with it. Obviously it did not work."

Duusu: "I.. see."

Fake Aoi: "So there. You have proof I will help you transfer your Miraculous quickly back to your holder, the real Aoi."

Duusu: "How do you plan on bringing me closer to her?"

Fake Aoi: "With another one of my abilities. Ah, but before I do that, I think there is the matter of one more thing concerning your holder that I believe you may be interested to know."

Duusu: "Such as?"

The fake Aoi grins.

Duusu: "Nevermind that. I need to save her. You can tell me on the way there!"

Fake Aoi: "Fufufu. Are you sure? It could be very important… or maybe not. Who knows."

I paused. This shapeshifter. What are they up to? I can't help but get this sensation of-

Fake Aoi: "Hmm mm. Guess you're not curious as to why your Aoi is like the way she is."

Duusu: "And you know?"

Fake Aoi: "Oh most certainly, Duusu. Shall I delve to you her secrets? C'mon. How do you plan on saving her if you don't know her to the core?"

Duusu: "I-.. go on. Tell me."