I have nothing to say.

Chapter 5: Harvesting a Discussion.

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'Are you prepared to face what that knowledge would bring?' He answered with a question of his own.

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"-G-Elves will patrol the assets from now on-"

"-can not lose the remaining-"

"-place a G-Troll as a precaution-"

⭒･ﾟﾟ･*: ｡.｡ :°*:✼✿ ✿✼:*°: ｡.｡ :*･ﾟﾟ･⭒

'Pink!'

As if it were composed of cloth, pieces of darkness tore themselves from the area. It gathered to the center until it grew into one enormous bubble.

I waited until the absence of color shifted and I popped it rapidly, letting it explode and paint my world into pastel hues.

'No.' I dissolved it.

It repeated the process and slunk back into an ocean blue texture.

'Not this either.' I groaned, probably sounding like a juvenile who didn't know what clothes to wear for the day.

'Perhaps another color would be more to your liking?' My spectral friend advised me.

No offense, but if I was renovating this place, then it needed to have something better than boring shades of gray.

'Why pick a color when I can set a wallpaper instead?' I erased the color palette, allowing me to draw out the frizzly force within me.

'Careful, otherwise, your mind will turn against you.'

The surrounding darkness faded away, and I took advantage of its opening, twisting it to the image I wished for.

I wanted to run in the grassy fields, tend a garden, or swim in the sea.

Something.

Tree root-like cracks extended themselves everywhere until all I could see was the radiance they produced. And my realm of obscurity shattered like glass, almost making me cry at the sight it showed.

A wide, bountiful plain materialized before me. The sun was right up there, protecting everything its light touched, and forests stood as tall as skyscrapers with their sturdy branches stretched to shield the sod beneath. As well as the feathered beasts soaring alongside the blue sky.

'Is this how you perceive the surface?' I caught the awe leaking out of him, which meant he was watching the scenery with me.

'It's pretty.' I walked on the fresh green pasture, not pricked by it at all.

My bare hand went to touch the oak, but it felt similar to a cold wall instead of wood.

'But…' I couldn't feel the bumps and lines a tree should have, nor the itchy feeling the grass would give out. Neither the smell of the dirt when I kicked the grass in frustration, nor the cries of the birds circling to catch their prey.

It was all picturesque. Nothing more.

'Maybe one day we may see it with our own eyes.' Dubbilex promised with conviction brimming from his core.

I laid down on the fake landscape I had created and sighed. A habit I've gained as of late.

'Do not be disappointed, child.' He reassured me. 'Practice makes perfect.'

'Thanks, Dubbilex.' I smiled.

'You shall pass with flying colors, young padawan.' He paused, almost unsure about the nonsense he had just spouted.

'And as you humans suggest... You must dream big dreams?'

'Yeah, buddy. You'll get the hang of it one day too.' I chuckled, amused by his efforts at understanding common sayings and pop culture, all while struggling to stay sane.

'Astute observation.' He deadpanned.

Oh no. I recognize where he was going with this.

'I was not aware that colors translated to victory, or had the capability to fly.' He continued crankily. 'But I do not fathom how the disturbing practices of hanging oneself have to do with-'

There! The excuse to debate with me. I kept telling him I didn't know why we said them that way. We just… did.

Humanity is such a damn chaotic mess.

'Aside from your improper speech patterns, I concur.'

Yep. This is how I spent the following days. I crammed his head with mindless chatter, and Dubbilex would appear and teach me stuff.

Like clearing my head, how to stay calm at all times, and how to stop intruders from entering my head without my explicit permission, as he had done days ago.

Ah, and this, of course. Cool, isn't it?

'Constant vigilance, child.'

Although, I really, really regret teaching him about that last reference. My only saving grace was that Dubbilex was too composed to shout it out loud.

Thank the heavens for small mercies.

Too bad the images I projected in my head didn't compare to the real things. My ghost companion didn't seem to mind, though.

Or should I say Genomorph? I have no idea what that's supposed to be, but I'll think of it as just another subtype of his species or something.

Anyway, he seems very interested. He never stops asking about Earth, which is somewhat odd. He should already know of these types of things because he's currently on the Outside. Shouldn't he have explored it?

I might be giving him too much credit.

'I am not compensated for my services, and what use would human paper have for a genomorph?' He retorted in disbelief.

You'd be surprised–but as I was saying, sometimes Dubbilex was confused. One such occasion was when I shared how humanity took their first steps on the moon, and he had tried correcting me by talking about humans not being alone in the universe when they traversed beyond the stars.

'The galaxy has many distinct life forms.'

One thing was the supernatural, and another was just being plain crazy.

'Wouldn't it be great if you could tutor me on something else besides generating landscapes from my memories? You could show me these aliens of yours.' I joked.

It was his turn to sigh. 'You should wait until you gain more strength. You are technically a newborn.'

How many times do I have to tell you I'm a grown-ass woman?!

I lifted myself as the images I had built became brittle, breaking down to the touch. Black splotches of gunge left from the aftermath stitched themselves back together, swallowing everything in its wake.

'Concentration is key.' His voice was a bit faint as he said that.

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Bummer.

On the bright side, it didn't encompass the walls beyond this time around.

*Badump*

It only left me back where I started. In a world blacked out by a hardened tar-like shell.

*Badump*

(That wasn't...)

*Badump*

*Badump*

(Something isn't right.)

*Badum-

'I must insist on its importance for the days to come... ᵂᵉ ᶜᵃⁿ ⁿᵒᵗ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᴰʳ. ᴰᵉˢᵐᵒⁿᵈ ᵈᶦˢᶜᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ᵈᵉᵛᵉˡᵒᵖᵐᵉⁿᵗˢ.'

I pulled out a chunk of black substance as if it were made of play-doh, and molded it into a ball. It was easy, and I set it so it could bounce back and forth on command.

(It was merely the shudders for interacting with, well, a ghost.

Yeah.

I… must be i̷m̴a̷g̴i̴n̵i̵n̴g̷ things.)

'Still can't believe you were such a nerd.' I grumbled, seeking to change the subject.

'According to the data you have compiled and shared with me, you are the most...' He tried to find the right wording. '...well-studied of us all.'

'And wasn't that just sad?' I said, feeling kind of woozy for a moment.

'I do not detect irregular emotions fluctuating.'

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'It was an expression.' I avoided facepalming at the grandpa-like innocence he had.

But I did adopt an annoyed tone at his other actions. 'And can you quit scanning me? I'm not a supermarket product!'

'... Very well.' Dubbilex paused, almost surprised I noticed the fucking crimson light he summoned.

Who does he take me for? Sheesh.

He dismissed it, along with the prickly sensation accompanying it.

'If that is all, I would rather continue our previous discussion.'

'Okay. Shoot.' I evaded the ball that was suddenly flung in my direction, and I tried to cover myself as it bounced all over my head in a frenzy.

'Forgive me...' He spoke with a hint of embarrassment. 'Was that another one of your human phrases?'

'Don't worry about it.' I snapped my fingers, and the ball fell to the ground with a splat.

'Now, where did we leave off?' I asked as I kicked the blotches of tar back to where they belonged.

'While I enjoyed the tales of the purple giant defeated by these… group of Avengers, I am more partial to the details regarding the Justice League.' He responded in morbid fascination.

'Fanboy.' I wiped off what little goo lingered on my person, and directed my full attention to Dubbilex.

'Did you know there was a time the blue boy scout went totally ballistic?' My mouth babbled before I could stop myself. 'It all started in-'

⭒･ﾟﾟ･*: ｡.｡ :°*:✼✿ ✿✼:*°: ｡.｡ :*･ﾟﾟ･⭒

"-failure-"

"-grow another batch and restart the process-"

⭒･ﾟﾟ･*: ｡.｡ :°*:✼✿ ✿✼:*°: ｡.｡ :*･ﾟﾟ･⭒

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'No, but I will.' I gazed at this empty mindscape of mine

Because I have to.

⭒･ﾟﾟ･*: ｡.｡ :°*:✼✿ ✿✼:*°: ｡.｡ :*･ﾟﾟ･⭒

SI be like:

SI: -and this is why everyone should avoid the archer's chili. It almost made the whole league pass out.

SI: They should just kidnap Batman's butler and have him cook for them.

Dubbilex: Green Arrow's cooking is a menace…*Takes notes.* And you asseverate we require the capture of Alfred Pennyworth?

SI: Exactly.

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SI: I was kidding. Dubbilex no-

A/N

There's nothing to be anxious about. It's just a friendly talk between a SI, and a genetically modified, living weapon who can intrude minds, read through memories and-

Oh.

OH!

I see your point. (・・ )