IM BACK IN THE FUCKING BUILDING AGAIN! Welcome to a little roleplay blog for my ULTRAKILL oc, VB. I am Mod TJ, main is @littlegayboyloser. This is my SECOND ask blog ever, so please be patient with me!
All of VB's dialogue will be in orange and in [BRACKETS], with its actions being in white. All OOC text will be in blue, and be tagged as #modTJ.
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Rules for Asks/Interactions:
Please be respectful of the mod!
Shipping is alright, VB is incredibly queer and has no preference any which way.
Suggestive/Flirtatious asks/interactions are alright, but please be an adult if you interact in this way, as mod is 18+. All interactions that are suggestive will be tagged as #suggestive.
VB uses any pronouns, mod uses he/they. If you do not respect this you will be blocked.
If I feel uncomfortable with an ask or interaction I will not respond to it.
Character info under the cut:
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Character Info:
VB is a machine made after V1 and V2 were both discontinued, made specifically for the exploration of Hell during the New Peace. Currently, it doesn't have a specific residence, wandering Hell to try and gain more information and never staying put for too long.
Originally, it was made to explore Hell, scanning anything and everything that it found as it went, and gathering samples of anything that could be used as a material for Earth's rebuild. However, after descending, it quickly lost contact with the humans on the surface, despite its transmission antennae which were supposed to prevent this from occurring. Now, it continues its trek through Hell, creating 3D scans of anything that it finds interesting, and sampling any materials it does not understand on first glance. It has the ability to create 3D projections of the models it has stored in its database.
It is an incredibly friendly machine– it does not see anyone as a threat, rather just someone it has not learned about yet. This makes it an absolutely terrible fighter, and it is more likely to flee or hide than try and instigate a fight. The only time it will act with any aggression whatsoever is if it is holding a sample, as it is coded to try and protect those samples to the death. It has a limited arsenal, only a pistol, a rifle, and a hunting knife, most of its wing storage space taken up with samples. It also has wheels built into its boots, in order to flee faster. It is incredibly curious, even to the point where it will put itself in harms way for more knowledge.
It has the ability to speak in order to communicate with the humans that built it, but switches between signing and speaking depending on the scenario. Whenever it scans something, two lenses pop out from the side of its head, giving it the appearance of two eyes, and glasses.
While I do not have a specific ship in mind for it, it meshes well with Minos, Sisyphus, Mirage, and V2, so do with that what you will.
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Currently no ref for it, so I threw everything on a completely unorganized Toyhouse.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
The soft hum of the white noise filled the room, the artificial chirp of crickets and the synthetic rush of water accompanying it. It was...soothing, to say the least. And it prevented silence. They hated silence.
But part of them was still on edge, constantly eyeing the doors to stay on alert, their body still somewhat tense, even as VB lay limp against their side. V-X didn't know how long the other machine needed to sleep, but part of her hoped it wouldn't be too long. Though deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
It was along time before VB showed any signs of stirring. He hadn’t gone into sleep mode in longer than he could remember, he needed the rest for his chronically underfuelled systems.
It started slow. A small change in the white noise, crickets and rain fading out into the gentle sounds of a farm, of grass crunching and animals grazing in the early morning hours. Then, small movements from VB once more, a wing blade twitch here, a finger twitch there, body moving to curl into V-X further.
Their optic slid open part of the way as a rooster crowed, lights coming back to about 75%. Not fully awake, but getting there.
[…V-X?]
Her optic slowly slid down to their hands, snuggling closer with a puff of air from her vents. V-X had stayed. They had protected her. Her fans kicked on incredibly loud and damning, all of her body and wing lights shifting towards a pink color instead of her usual red.
V-X's thoughts had begun to spiral while VB was asleep. Thoughts of the past, their life before, whether or not it was smart to let themself get close to another after all these years of being alone.
They thought about VB, they thought a lot about him. Maybe too much. How he was willing to stay close to them, to seek comfort in their protection.
V-X was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the change in white noise, too focused on staying in her position and protecting and too wrapped up in her own mind that-
She was startled when she heard VB speak, but ecstatic, beeping excitedly.
"Awake?"
She signed at first, her gaze quickly averting to notice the new pink color in their wings.
VB nodded, clearly not entirely awake as she hid her face in V-X's shoulder for a moment, only peeking back out when she felt V-X shift under her, catching just enough of their sign for her wings to go even more pink, caught as she was. Did she lie? She didn't really want to lie to V-X, but saying her wings worked like a giant mood ring was... embarrassing.
[MY WINGS CAN... CHAaaANGE COLORS. ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAN.]
He winced as his voice glitched out slightly, sounding incredibly embarrassed for a machine with no vocal tone. His fans were still running at full speed, venting hot air from his back to try and cool his internal temperature down.
They weren't sure why the thought of V-X staying, of V-X protecting them was so flustering. Why the thought of V-X letting them lay comfortably on her made their internal temperature rise, made their lights change color. They probably should refer back to their manuals, see if there was anything about this in there.
V-X nodded at the thanks, nuzzling a bit closer to VB.
“No need to thank me. Least I could do. You helped me, so I help you.”
It was more than that, much more than just transactional to her. The thought of protecting another instead of causing harm, it made her feel a certain way. Especially protecting VB, making sure she was safe and comfortable… it brought them so much joy.
When it came to VB’s wings, however, their curiosity was still not satiated.
“Why did your wings turn pink?”
V-X pried a little bit, chittering softly. The change in color alongside the sudden increase in the speed of VB’s fans, it intrigued her, but she couldn’t quite place it together.
VB wasn't entirely sure when she had possibly helped V-X, but they signed it so confidently, she supposed she had done something for V-X. It... made sense. That made sense, that they were just... helping each other out. Camaraderie between two beings similar in design.
If only he could get his fans and lights to get the memo, that this was just a transactional thing. Yet here he was, sounding as loud as an Earthmover, wings twitching with embarrassment as V-X nuzzling closer only made them go brighter, more visibly pink. Why was he feeling this way?
[MmmMY WINGS CHANGE COLORS BASED ON... IiiINTERNAL FACTORS. MOooOD, INTERNAL TEMPERATURE, FUEL LEVEL, THINGS LIKE THAT. MADE IT EASIER FOR MY CREATORS TO KEEP AN EYE ON VARIABLES WITHOUT HAVING TO OPEN MY SYSTEMS.]
Their voice kept glitching out, not quite looking at V-X as they spoke, instead keeping their head tucked into her shoulder, so they could only see her hands. Their speakers wasn't covered in any way, but their voice still came out quiet, a little shy. They weren't sure whether that answer would be enough to satiate V-X's curiosity, but it was.... technically an answer.
V-X nodded again, through still a bit confused. If the color in VB’s wings was supposed to indicate a mood…what did pink mean? V-X searched back in their mind, mentally shuffling through files of information to try and find a human association with the color pink. Eventually they found something, a memory of scanning a color association chart their programmer had given them to help with sign.
[PINK = ROMANCE, SWEETNESS, LOVE]
The thought immediatly caused her internal temperature to spike, their fans whirring faster than before. But VB couldn’t possibly feel like that, especially not about her….right? Were machines such as the two of them even capable of feeling love?
V-X took one more glance at VB’s wings to confirm that she was not seeing things, before diverting her gaze away out of embarrassment. She began to sign again, ignoring the somewhat long pause she had taken after VB’s last statement.
“Interesting. Cute.”
She hadn’t meant to sign the last word, yet it was as if her hand had acted beyond her own control. Shit.
Her voice came out crackly and much louder than intended, sitting up with her optic wide and startled, looking at V-X intently even as she looked away. The lights of her optic were pink as well, matching her wings and body lights. There was no way V-X actually meant that the way that it sounded, there was no way V-X thought that her wings were....
That she was... cute.
His fans continued kicking up a storm, equally as loud as V-X's. He felt as if he could feel them rattling in his chest, trying to keep his internal temperature down and failing miserably. He was making an incredibly embarrassed series of static sounds and whines, not even aware that they were coming from him.
He wasn't cute. He... he wasn't, that wasn't a descriptor that matched him. Energetic, annoying, curious... those were all accurate descriptors, but... cute?
Could a machine build for data collection even be cute?
They didn't know what to say, still stuck staring at V-X. V-X had broken them entirely, to the point where there was steam coming out of their vents.
They hadn’t meant to sign that, they shouldn’t have, yet- it was how they felt. They thought it was cute how VB changed colors, they thought it was cute how startled he had become, they couldn’t think of anything but him and-
What was wrong with them?
It felt as if her systems were breaking down, yet everything felt right at the same time. Nothing made sense yet everything made sense. A series of contradictions swimming through their mind. It was all so overwhelming…but such a welcome feeling.
V-X still kept their gaze away from VB, at least until the sound of steam and static came from beside them. They turned to look at her, seeing just how frozen she was and getting even more panicked.
Was VB malfunctioning?? Was this their fault?? Had their comment put her in such a state of panic that she reacted like this??
V-X frantically tried to sign, still incredibly embarrassed as their fans sped up even more.
“Ok? Malfunction?”
That’s all they could manage, much more blunt than they had intended.
VB couldn't even respond, a long whine resonating from somewhere in their chest as they leaned forward, resting their head on V-X's shoulder with a loud clang. Their fans were doing a terrible job of keeping them cool, and V-X could probably feel the heat radiating off of them this close.
His vents continued to let out steam, wings cycling through different shades of pink in a gradient, as if to draw more attention to it, which was the last thing VB wanted.
Or– did she want that?
She… liked V-X’s company. She liked spending time with her, trusted her to refuel with, trusted her to protect her while she slept…
And… V-X made her systems feel all… skewed. Like she was standing on the very edge of the ferry in Wrath during the toughest storm, wobbly and uncertain of what her professors were telling her, but… this was nice.
And V-X thought they were cute.
They whined again, banging their head a few light times against V-X’s shoulder, before shyly sitting back up, not looking at them.
[NOoOT… MALFUNCTION.]
He sat in silence for a few moments, looking at everything but V-X as his systems continued to go haywire. Maybe he was malfunctioning.
[DIIiiiID YOU…. MEAN IT?]
She froze again after she spoke, eye widening as her shutters clicked loudly. Why did she ask that–?!! She hadn’t meant to ask that, she should have just left it at the fact that it wasn’t a malfunction, and they could go on being new friends like they were.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
The soft hum of the white noise filled the room, the artificial chirp of crickets and the synthetic rush of water accompanying it. It was...soothing, to say the least. And it prevented silence. They hated silence.
But part of them was still on edge, constantly eyeing the doors to stay on alert, their body still somewhat tense, even as VB lay limp against their side. V-X didn't know how long the other machine needed to sleep, but part of her hoped it wouldn't be too long. Though deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
It was along time before VB showed any signs of stirring. He hadn’t gone into sleep mode in longer than he could remember, he needed the rest for his chronically underfuelled systems.
It started slow. A small change in the white noise, crickets and rain fading out into the gentle sounds of a farm, of grass crunching and animals grazing in the early morning hours. Then, small movements from VB once more, a wing blade twitch here, a finger twitch there, body moving to curl into V-X further.
Their optic slid open part of the way as a rooster crowed, lights coming back to about 75%. Not fully awake, but getting there.
[…V-X?]
Her optic slowly slid down to their hands, snuggling closer with a puff of air from her vents. V-X had stayed. They had protected her. Her fans kicked on incredibly loud and damning, all of her body and wing lights shifting towards a pink color instead of her usual red.
V-X's thoughts had begun to spiral while VB was asleep. Thoughts of the past, their life before, whether or not it was smart to let themself get close to another after all these years of being alone.
They thought about VB, they thought a lot about him. Maybe too much. How he was willing to stay close to them, to seek comfort in their protection.
V-X was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the change in white noise, too focused on staying in her position and protecting and too wrapped up in her own mind that-
She was startled when she heard VB speak, but ecstatic, beeping excitedly.
"Awake?"
She signed at first, her gaze quickly averting to notice the new pink color in their wings.
VB nodded, clearly not entirely awake as she hid her face in V-X's shoulder for a moment, only peeking back out when she felt V-X shift under her, catching just enough of their sign for her wings to go even more pink, caught as she was. Did she lie? She didn't really want to lie to V-X, but saying her wings worked like a giant mood ring was... embarrassing.
[MY WINGS CAN... CHAaaANGE COLORS. ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAN.]
He winced as his voice glitched out slightly, sounding incredibly embarrassed for a machine with no vocal tone. His fans were still running at full speed, venting hot air from his back to try and cool his internal temperature down.
They weren't sure why the thought of V-X staying, of V-X protecting them was so flustering. Why the thought of V-X letting them lay comfortably on her made their internal temperature rise, made their lights change color. They probably should refer back to their manuals, see if there was anything about this in there.
V-X nodded at the thanks, nuzzling a bit closer to VB.
“No need to thank me. Least I could do. You helped me, so I help you.”
It was more than that, much more than just transactional to her. The thought of protecting another instead of causing harm, it made her feel a certain way. Especially protecting VB, making sure she was safe and comfortable… it brought them so much joy.
When it came to VB’s wings, however, their curiosity was still not satiated.
“Why did your wings turn pink?”
V-X pried a little bit, chittering softly. The change in color alongside the sudden increase in the speed of VB’s fans, it intrigued her, but she couldn’t quite place it together.
VB wasn't entirely sure when she had possibly helped V-X, but they signed it so confidently, she supposed she had done something for V-X. It... made sense. That made sense, that they were just... helping each other out. Camaraderie between two beings similar in design.
If only he could get his fans and lights to get the memo, that this was just a transactional thing. Yet here he was, sounding as loud as an Earthmover, wings twitching with embarrassment as V-X nuzzling closer only made them go brighter, more visibly pink. Why was he feeling this way?
[MmmMY WINGS CHANGE COLORS BASED ON... IiiINTERNAL FACTORS. MOooOD, INTERNAL TEMPERATURE, FUEL LEVEL, THINGS LIKE THAT. MADE IT EASIER FOR MY CREATORS TO KEEP AN EYE ON VARIABLES WITHOUT HAVING TO OPEN MY SYSTEMS.]
Their voice kept glitching out, not quite looking at V-X as they spoke, instead keeping their head tucked into her shoulder, so they could only see her hands. Their speakers wasn't covered in any way, but their voice still came out quiet, a little shy. They weren't sure whether that answer would be enough to satiate V-X's curiosity, but it was.... technically an answer.
V-X nodded again, through still a bit confused. If the color in VB’s wings was supposed to indicate a mood…what did pink mean? V-X searched back in their mind, mentally shuffling through files of information to try and find a human association with the color pink. Eventually they found something, a memory of scanning a color association chart their programmer had given them to help with sign.
[PINK = ROMANCE, SWEETNESS, LOVE]
The thought immediatly caused her internal temperature to spike, their fans whirring faster than before. But VB couldn’t possibly feel like that, especially not about her….right? Were machines such as the two of them even capable of feeling love?
V-X took one more glance at VB’s wings to confirm that she was not seeing things, before diverting her gaze away out of embarrassment. She began to sign again, ignoring the somewhat long pause she had taken after VB’s last statement.
“Interesting. Cute.”
She hadn’t meant to sign the last word, yet it was as if her hand had acted beyond her own control. Shit.
Her voice came out crackly and much louder than intended, sitting up with her optic wide and startled, looking at V-X intently even as she looked away. The lights of her optic were pink as well, matching her wings and body lights. There was no way V-X actually meant that the way that it sounded, there was no way V-X thought that her wings were....
That she was... cute.
His fans continued kicking up a storm, equally as loud as V-X's. He felt as if he could feel them rattling in his chest, trying to keep his internal temperature down and failing miserably. He was making an incredibly embarrassed series of static sounds and whines, not even aware that they were coming from him.
He wasn't cute. He... he wasn't, that wasn't a descriptor that matched him. Energetic, annoying, curious... those were all accurate descriptors, but... cute?
Could a machine build for data collection even be cute?
They didn't know what to say, still stuck staring at V-X. V-X had broken them entirely, to the point where there was steam coming out of their vents.
(A dark grey machine, appearing to be a larger V model lands near them)
[@hells-v-ex-splorer]
[you’re cool and VB inspired me to make my own V model oc so I would like for them to meet]
VB jumped, turning to look at the other machine while ducking behind a telephone pole. She was torn between getting a closer look, and fleeing the scene immediately, trying to avoid a fight, but her curiosity always won out.
[HELLO!!!]
She peeked out from her hiding spot, skating over to the other V-Model quickly, lenses clicking out to scan them.
VB had no sense of personal space, skating a full circle around V-Ex to complete the scan, lenses clicking back once it was complete. She projected the hologram of him on the ground next to her when she was done, skating back slightly.
[VB!]
She tapped her designation on her chest, as hard to see as it was in the low lighting.
[WHAT ARE YOU IN HELL FOR?]
He clicked his skates on and off as he stood, incredibly antsy for a machine, unable to really stop moving.
VB stopped in front of him, wings and eye glowing brighter from her excitement. Her wings were still clicking back and forth, twitching as she trilled.
[I WENT TO HEAVEN ONCE– I SCANNED SO MANY ARCHIVES, WHAT DID YOU DO?]
It took a lagging moment before he processed the rest of what V-Ex said. He had never been anywhere but here? That just meant it was perfect to explore!
[WE SHOULD EXPLORE!!! THIS IS THE LUST LAYER, IT IS A CITY.]
VB’s wings clicked back and forth happily, clicking and chirping at the mention of Michael. Michael was incredibly kind to her– she’d consider him a good friend.
[MICHAEL IS VERY FUN!! THE ARCHIVES ARE EXCELLENT AS WELL!!!]
He skated off in one direction in Lust, assuming V-Ex was following him close behind, making sure to not go too fast so the other machine could keep up.
[LUST IS VERY PRETTY IN THE CITY CENTER, IT IS WHERE EVERYTHING IS. ALL OF THE CITY COMES TOGETHER THERE.]
VB continued skating, trying to slow down further so V-Ex didn’t have to sprint as quickly as he was. They moved through the streets of Lust, under the light of the street lamps, avoiding other machines and demons as they continued.
[LUST IS… FUN. NOT THE BEST FOR SAMPLING PURPOSES, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. GOOD FOR FIELD RESEARCH. AND THERE IS A HUGE LIBRARY, RIVALS THE ARCHIVES.]
It wasn’t her home, but it was definitely quite the cool place in Hell. Showed just how resilient people could be, even when faced with what was supposed to be eternal suffering.
VB clicked and chirped, slowing down to show off to V-Ex. She clicked her main panel open, tucked away in the space between where her ribs would be, was a fully temperature controlled container packed full with samples.
[WAS MOSTLY MADE TO COLLECT SAMPLES, BUT I GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AS WELL. HAVE A LOT OF DATA STORED.]
It was perfect– VB and V-Ex were almost like opposite ends of the spectrum for exploration machines, each made for something specific. He clicked his panel shut, continuing to skate once more.
VB chirped happily right back, continuing to skate through Lust, heading for the library. She had a feeling that V-Ex would appreciate just how much information was stored there.
[CANNOT IMAGINE HOW MUCH INFORMATION WE HAVE STORED BETWEEN OUR TWO SYSTEMS!]
He slid to a stop in front of Lust’s library, located right in the heart of the bustling city center. He pushed the door open, gesturing V-Ex inside.
[WE ARE IN THE CITY CENTER NOW– THIS IS THE LIBRARY. THE MOST BOOKS AND ARCHIVES ANYWHERE IN HELL.]
VB chirped and chittered a few times, clearly laughing and equally as excited as V-Ex, despite having been in the library many times throughout her residence in Hell. She skated over to one of the shelves, knowing V-Ex would be following right behind her.
[THERE IS EVERYTHING HERE. MINOS IS INCREDIBLY DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF ACCURATE HISTORY FOR EVERYONE.]
There were books on angels, machines, demons, humans...... everything really. Not edited or changed or censored in any way– the knowledge in its pure form. VB could spend days holed up in this library happily. And if V-Ex wanted to stay and read, he would be absolutely fine with that.
[MULTIPLE FLOORS TOO, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AROUND!]
VB…. wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here. But there were so many archives, she was practically buzzing with happiness, skating around the room and scanning everything they came across. It was not being the most... attentive, not exactly paying attention to anyone else entering the room...
-@fromthe-very-beginning
“..?”
Michael looks up from his planner, he could hear the skating noise all the way from his makeshift office
“Oh for fucks sake… what now? Who could possibly think skating in here is a good idea?!”
He gets up and walks out to the main hall of the archive room, muttering things under his breath that many would consider carnal sins
“Hey! Mind cutting that the fuck out?! How the Hell did you even get in here?! Goddamn… is it really that hard to ask for my permission before entering?!”
VB startled, moving at such high speeds that it crashed fully into one of the shelves, sending archives tumbling down around herself as she sprawled out on the ground, retracting their skates quickly. It took a few moments for him to regain his bearings, peeking up at the angel.
[SORRY...]
It popped up, trying to creep close enough to scan the angel, lenses clicking into place quickly, abandoning the mess they made on the floor. He'd clean it up later, once it had scanned everything in the pile.
Michael’s orange wings droop slightly, he’s annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this whole situation
“Another machine… how in the Hell did you get up here? Never mind that… mind explaining why the fuck you were skating around so haphazardly?!”
His upper arms were already crossed, right foot tapping against the floor to show impatience
“The Heavenly archive room holds many texts and documents that can’t be found elsewhere, so you best hope none of the ones you knocked over are damaged, machine…”
VB moved a little bit closer, seemingly not worried about the angel's clear irritation. Once it got within range, they stood still until the scan was complete.
[SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME!!! NEED TO MOVE FAST–]
The scan completed, and she was off again, projecting the scan of Michael on the ground next to him, the hologram spinning around slowly, while they shuffled through the archives for ones that hadn't been scanned yet. It found one, holding it up victoriously, and began scanning it.
VB moved through its scan, quickly putting the archive up onto the shelf before moving to another one, letting the hologram continue to spin absentmindedly next to it.
[NEED TO READ AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I AM KICKED OUT]
She didn't look back at Michael, continuing to talk as they scanned. The hologram of Michael did a little dance.
[HOLOGRAM!!! I SCANNED YOU INTO MY DATABASE.]
It flipped its head around perfectly 180 degrees to look back at Michael.
He just watches in complete shock as you scan through each archive with impressive speeds
“I’m not gonna kick you out, machine, Christ on high… you can slow the fuck down now!”
Michael side eyes the hologram, completely unnerved by it
“Right… and you’re making it… dance..? Fucking Hell… and here I thought I’d seen it all! Why did you project it in the first place..?! And- that question you just asked is completely irrelevant! You don’t need to know that!”
VB only slowed slightly down on scanning the archives, still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed that was just her default state. The machine continued to make the hologram dance for a moment, before it disappeared entirely.
[WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. ISN'T IT COOL???]
It skated back over to Michael, holding out their hand. In it, a small hologram of Michael rested, curled up like a cat, sleeping.
[VERSATILE. MANY USES.]
He chirped a few times, skating quickly back over to the archives.
The eldest of the Archangels was definitely relived to see you slow down, even if it wasn’t all the way, he’d take anything at this point
“Right… sorry, I’m just not used to such… technology? And- why the fuck is it sleeping like a cat now..?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re making a fucking mockery of me..!”
He sighs, doing all that he can to keep himself from losing his mind
“I- yes… it’s an alcoholic beverage… why do you want to know so badly? I don’t believe it’s safe for a machine to drink such things, especially if you run on blood of all fucking substances.”
[NOT MOCKING. IMPORTANT! YOU ARE IN MY DATABASE NOW.]
It flipped its head back around to continue scanning records. It was clear that he only scanned things that were deemed important, which…. coincidentally happened to be everything.
[HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?]
He honestly was just incredibly curious, even if the information was entirely irrelevant to itself.
He didn’t even know how to properly process all of this, and seeing you scan over literally everything wasn’t helping his confusion
“Why… am I in your database now..? What’s the fucking purpose of that..?! I’m just… so Goddamn confused now… all this tech talk is making my head spin…”
Hearing the genuine curiosity in your voice regarding beer, how it’s made, and how it tastes, he perks up slightly
“Well… beer can be made through a multitude of ways, but all you really need is boiling water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. Those are the key ingredients. As for how it tastes… it can be pretty damn bitter but also sweet depending on the ingredients.”
VB was perfectly still as it scanned, seemingly the only thing that stopped the machine from moving around constantly. She wanted to make sure that the scan was clear, and she didn't have to redo it once it was complete.
[IN DATABASE– I KNOW YOU NOW! YOU ARE...]
It trailed off, realizing that there were blanks in the entry.
[WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I AM VB!]
It tapped its chest where the engraving was, not fully realizing that it was facing away from Michael.
She listened carefully as Michael explained beer, opening a new database entry and making mental notes about the drink.
[WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT? BITTER AND SWEET ARE OPPOSITES, YES?]
Despite being even more confused than before, he decides to play along with this, not wanting to cause anything else
“I guess that makes sense? Wait… you don’t know my damn name?! I’m the Archangel Michael! How in the fuck- ah, never mind… it’s good to meet you, VB.”
Upon hearing you question why beer can be both bitter and sweet, he sighs quietly
“Like I said, it all depends on the ingredients, even though bitter and sweet contrast each other in theory. Mixed together the correct way, especially in an alcoholic drink, they just work so fucking well together.”
When VB heard the archangel's name, it paused for a split second, going through every instance of [ARCHANGEL MICHAEL] in its database. It perked up when it found what it was looking for, glancing back at Michael.
[ARCHANGEL MICHAEL! FROM THE BIBLE! I HAVE CREATED THE CONNECTION.]
She had read the Old and New Testaments during her limited time on Earth, scanning them all into her database. It was nice to put a "face to the name", as is said.
His voice box made a little musical droning sound, clearly a hum as he thought about all he was learning about beer.
[HM. LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES TASTING DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING ALL BLOOD? DEMON VS DIVINE, ETC?]
He couldn’t help but observe with growing intrigue, even though machines annoyed him, you were definitely something different
“Yes, that’s me, I’m honestly shocked that you didn’t save such valuable information, VB. But then again… you probably have a lot on your damn mind, so who am I to judge?”
Hearing you compare the different tastes of beer to blood just further solidified his intrigue
“I’d say that’s one way to put it as a comparison. Not that I know what different types of blood taste like, all I know is that fucking metallic taste…”
VB clicked a few times, almost chiding. It put the final record it had knocked over back on the shelf, before standing and turning around, projecting another hologram that looked almost like a map of constellations. There were larger stars, with smaller branches and stars coming off of them, all coming off of one large star.
[MAP OF EVERY MENTION OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN MY SYSTEM. SMALLER SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FILE TYPES. A LOT OF .TXT FILES. NEEDED TO CONNECT YOUR .GLTF SCAN TO THE MAP, WHICH TOOK A SECOND. SORRY!!!]
She quickly got rid of the hologram, remembering Michael's irritation at the last one.
[DIFFERENT BLOOD HAS DIFFERENT TASTES. DIVINE IS SWEETER AND RICHER. DEMONIC IS DARKER AND HEAVIER. NOT METALLIC.]
Michael stared at the constellations in both shock and awe, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a beautiful display
“These constellations… I haven’t seen them in such a long time… machine, I’m speechless..! Why don’t you show me this sooner..?!”
He then snapped back to reality upon hearing you describe the different tastes of blood, right, this was in response to his beer thing
“Is that why you enjoy beating the shit outta angels? Or do you much prefer the blood of your own kind? This genuinely has me interested as all fuck now.”
VB tilted its head, trying to understand what Michael meant by that. It was just the map of its database– Oh. Well, he supposed it did look like stars.
[MAP IS NOT REAL STARS, JUST DATA VISUALISATION. I HAVE REAL STARS SOMEWHERE…]
She trailed off, trying to find the file– yes! She projected a hologram of a real star map this time, the actual stars and constellations visible from Earth.
[REAL STARS FOR YOU! A 3D RECREATION OF A SCAN OF MULTIPLE PHOTOS FROM BEFORE THE WAR, WHEN THE STARS WERE STILL VISIBLE.]
She left that scan projecting onto the ceiling, hoping Michael liked it. It had taken them ages to create the full 3D model off of as many photos of the stars as possible, a full map of every star visible from Earth.
He looked at the floor when Michael mentioned the blood again, clicking his skates in and out over and over again.
[DO NOT BEAT UP ANGELS– DON’T LIKE FIGHTING. ANGEL BLOOD TASTES BEST, BUT I GO DOWN TO FRAUD AND HOPE THE DEATHCATCHERS CAN REANIMATE SOMETHING FOR ME TO REFUEL FROM.]
Michael watches as the map changes from what it was originally to the 3D recreation, he was even more blown away than before, such beauty
“I… had no idea that these constellations lost their radiance after the war… they’re so beautiful… each one brimming with life and… a cosmic holiness that none could ever replicate…”
Hearing more of your explanation, he didn’t take his eyes off of the recreation but he did respond, it would be rude not to after all
“Deathcatchers, eh? I guess that makes more sense, the damned things always weirded me out… but if they provide you with an unlimited supply of blood, then who am I to fucking judge?”
VB nodded. It had… never actually seen the stars, but it knew that they couldn’t be seen once the war occurred.
[HARD TO SEE STARS WHEN EVERYTHING IS POLLUTED.]
He watched Michael watch the stars. He was… glad that he seemed to be enjoying the 3D recreation, even though an angel of his standing should jut be able to… go see them, right?
[DEATHCATCHERS ARE STRANGE. TRYING TO GIVE LOVE BUT CANNOT. THEY USUALLY HELP ME GET BLOOD.]
She laughed, the sound a trill from her voice box.
[YOU COULD KILL ME RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED– I AM A BAD FIGHTER. DEATHCATCHERS ARE EASIEST.]
Right, the war, he didn’t know if he should still hold humans accountable for such a folly at this current point in time, they were desperate after all, but…
“I only wish that The Final War had been nothing more than a cruel joke… a Goddamn nightmare… but this hologram is all I need to see… to know that it was real…”
While silently mourning the loss of so much, he overheard the word “Deathcatcher” and immediately turned to you again, what were those monstrosities, truly?
“I see, guess that makes sense, an endless supply of blood would definitely do you well and- wait, kill you? Machine… I won’t do that, especially not after you decided to show me the stars in the form of a hologram.”
VB shrugged slightly. It was hard to form an opinion on the Final War– It wasn’t around to see any of it, and it was created as a result of the New Peace, which wouldn’t have happened if the War hadn’t, so…. VB kind of had the war to thank for its life. But she understood where Michael, who had seen it, was coming from.
[I WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT IT. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE WAR. I WISH IT HAD NOT HAPPENED, BUT I LIKE... BEING ALIVE.]
Perhaps that made her selfish, but if it did, then she was an incredibly selfish machine. She trilled a laugh when Michael was shocked at her words, clicking her skates out and skating circles around him.
[I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT. BUT YOU COULD IS WHAT I AM SAYING. YOU ARE GOOD FIGHTER– I AM NOT.]
Michael knew he couldn’t argue with that logic, you had every right to say such things, and who was he to judge or take that away from you?
“I can’t dismiss your logic here… VB… even with very differing viewpoints, I know damn well that a machine such as yourself has every right to live. Especially since you aren’t out for blood currently.”
He scoffed slightly at seeing you skate around him, your laugh did annoy him just a bit, but he wasn’t going to take away your fun
“Well, you’d better believe I’m one Hell of a fighter! Despite being known as God’s Wisdom. Oh how I wish I wasn’t always trapped here, I need to blow off some steam!”
VB seemed to physically brush off the talk of the war, twitching their wings a few times as they skated around. They seemed glad for an opening to change the topic.
[I RUN ON LOW FUEL– DON’T GET BLOOD OFTEN. MOVING FASTER EXPENDS MORE ENERGY, BUT–]
It was clear they didn’t have the ability to move slowly, even if it drained fuel quicker. It tilted its head at Michael’s mention of being stuck– could he not just leave?
[POP DOWN TO HELL THEN? GO FIGHT AND COME BACK AFTER?]
She had snuck into Heaven so easily, it’d probably be easy to sneak back out.
Michael understands now, it makes much more sense to him, but at the same time… he couldn’t help but feel bad for you
“VB, what are your current fuel levels? I’m sure it took a lot of energy to get up here in the first place after all. Don’t hide it from me.”
Upon hearing you suggest the idea of him going to Hell to let off some steam, he paused… why didn’t he do that? What was holding him back? Oh right…
“As much as I’d love to fuck up some demons, just a bit… there’s something that I need to continue researching… it’s gonna drive me insane if I don’t…”
Michael crossed his arms, not satisfied with the response he got in regard to your fuel levels, sure he didn’t interact with machines often but… he wasn’t going to let you lose power here
“Yeah, no, that’s not good enough, VB. Your levels are too damn low, I won’t have you dying of starvation here.”
Sighing, he reached behind his desk and pulled out a small knife, then, without hesitation, he sliced his left palm open and offered it to you, he hadn’t done this before
“Go ahead, consider this a blessing… plus this is my first time ever feeding a machine to begin with. As for your offer… I guess you can help? The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find anything here… it’s frustrating.”
VB tried to protest as Michael moved, following him around on her skates.
[15% IS NORMAL FOR ME– USUALLY ONLY REFUEL TO 30% ANYWAYS AND IT IS ONLY CRITICAL WHEN ITS UNDER 5%–]
She stops short when Michael is–
Bleeding–
Her optic refocuses loudly.
She rechecks her fuel levels, she shouldn't be this... unstable.... at a little blood–
FUEL GAUGE: 1%
Oh. She had misread it.
Her hand moves to her arm, scrambling to open the panel that allows her to feed, get the stupid needles that she had to uncap, fuck–
It was a lot of fumbling but eventually she managed to get set up, inserting the needle into where Michael had cut his hand, visibly relaxing when the blood got into her system. He didn’t need to know VB had read the gauge wrong.
[WwWWHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?]
His voice glitched out slightly as he spoke, wincing.
Michael reaches his right hand over and gently pats your head, he could sense something was very off with you, I mean, he is God’s Wisdom after all
“VB, just let yourself refuel to 100%, considering how quickly you burn through it, I’d rather not have to keep slicing my hand. But I’m glad I caught on before it was too late.”
He leaned back slightly in his chair, everything you were doing didn’t phase him at all, its like he couldn’t even feel it, not that it was an issue or anything
“What I’m looking for are documents that Heaven seemed to have erased from existence… there’s this group called “The Watchers”… the name rings a familiar bell but… I can’t remember… and… it’s driving me insane… how did they get rid of the documents here..?!”
VB trilled at the head pat, clearly enjoying the contact, but squirmed at Michael’s suggestion. It hadn’t been at full since….
DATA QUERY: TIME SINCE FUEL AT 100%
….
RETURN: 2147483647 HOURS
Well that was unhelpful. Who decided to use an int value for that stat–?
Whatever.
It had been a long time.
[I DO NOT NEED TO HAVE MY FUEL AT 100%, IT IS FINE TRULY–]
It didn’t want to take too much from Michael, clearly antsy to stop feeding even though it just started. He bounced his leg, squirming, truly not able to sit still.
[I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM– THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING FROM HEAVEN?]
Michael couldn’t help but be amused by the sound you made, machines truly were interesting to him, and you were just one of many examples of that
“VB, I insist, fill up to full, there’s no harm nor foul in doing so, plus it doesn’t hurt me. I’m a big ass angel, you don’t need to worry about me losing blood, alright?”
He sighed and glanced off to the side, the documents and books weren’t the only things that were missing, so much more was, and it frustrated him
“It’s… not just the documents… books are also missing along with… my memories regarding them… I can’t remember who they are or… were… but the name rings a feint bell..! I wouldn’t be surprised if Heaven erased my memory…”
VB almost whined, the unhappy sound coming from somewhere in her machinery, not wanting to fuel to 100%. It made her feel weird, the idea of sitting still long enough to fuel to 100%, as if it was against her very programming to stay still for that long. Their fingers tapped along the plating on their thigh rhythmically.
[...I DO NOT LIKE SITTING STILL FOR THAT LONG. 50% IS FINE.]
Maybe he could negotiate with Michael, a fuel level higher than his usual, but still not full, so he could move quicker, and take less. She wanted to move, wanted to go and research, wanted to look at what Michael was talking about.
[HUH. EVERYTHING IS GONE? MEMORIES AND DOCUMENTS?]
He thought for a moment, clicking open a panel and shutting it repeatedly on his thigh absently.
Michael could completely understand where you were coming from with that, even though he wasn’t feeling lightheaded at all, you still had the final say in all of this after all
“Alright, VB, if 50% truly is enough for you, then I won’t keep you sitting still any longer like an ignorant dumbass. But remember that you can always come to me for blood. It’s a non issues.”
The eldest of the Archangels looks up, he wouldn’t be surprised if many angels had completely forgotten who the watchers were, it couldn’t be just him, that wouldn’t make sense
“I feel as though any and all memories regarding them have been completely erased from the minds of everyone in Heaven… they’re trying to hide something. And it’s driving me insane because I should know these things! But no… I don’t… and I hate that so much!”
VB chirped happily, visibly relaxing at the prospect of not having to refuel all the way to 100%. He swung his legs back and forth.
[THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN– DO I NOT HAVE TO SNEAK IN NEXT TIME?]
His mechanical tone almost sounded joking, teasing, the bottom shutter of his optic raising in a smile as his wings twitched slightly.
As she refuelled, she thought further about what Michael was saying. His memories were erased, and so were those of angels in Heaven... but there was a much... looser control on things like that in Hell. It would be difficult for anyone to remove all traces of information in Hell itself.
[HAVE YOU TRIED THE LUST LIBRARIES INSTEAD? SOMEWHERE NOT IN HEAVEN?]
Michael once again couldn’t help but chuckle, you truly were both simple minded but also complex, he couldn’t help but find machines interesting, and, he no longer saw them as a threat
“As long as you only come to the Heavenly archive room, VB, I’ll be your damn blood bank. Just… try not to get caught by anyone on the way, ok? Don’t want you getting destroyed.”
At the mention of visiting Hell, especially the Lust layer to try and find more information on the watchers, the eldest of the Archangels was surprised that he didn’t think of that beforehand
“You… bring up a very good point there! Heaven can only erase the memories and texts of those who reside here! But, in Hell… there’s no way they can erase anything there! Smart thinking, VB!”
VB's optic closed entirely, and he made a sound that was similar to a laugh, shoulders shaking to imitate the human motion.
[I AM GOING TO GET CAUGHT BY EVERYONE. TALK TO EVERY ANGEL IN MY PATH. FOR FUN.]
He was clearly being sarcastic, though his tone didn't carry it very well, as flat as it was. His wings twitched slightly at the praise from Michael, glad he could be of some help.
[THE LUST LIBRARIES HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION. NEED TO GO WITH SOMEONE, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL BE ATTACKED.]
She... knew Michael would not be the most welcome in Hell, as visibly angelic as he was. He would probably get attacked before getting anywhere near the city center, which VB didn't want to happen.
Michael did his best to hold back a laugh, he knew you were being sarcastic, but the very idea of you doing everything to get caught by every angel in Heaven just… it was hilarious to imagine
“Sorry, it’s just- the fucking image of you doing that is so hilarious to me, VB! Oh, I know they’d struggle to catch you! Hahaha!”
After laughing again, the eldest of the Archangels thought on what you said, sure he was very intimidating, even Heavenly beings knew better than to fuck with him, but in Hell? The rules were different
“Hmm… you make very good points there… and I can’t risk an ambush… not with all the things currently clouding my mind… y’know what? Fuck it, you can take me there. I don’t mind one bit, VB.”
VB swung his legs back and forth once more, clicking his skates in and out as he continued smiling, optic shutting for a moment.
[THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ME. I AM FASTER ON WHEELS THAN THEY CAN FLY.]
She was glad to make Michael laugh– it made her feel like she was doing a good job somehow. With mention of going to the Lust library, she jumped up, accidentally pulling the needle out of Michael's hand and leaving it dangle out of the port on her arm.
FUEL GAUGE: 43%
Close enough.
They haphazardly shoved the tubes back into their arm, shutting the panel with a resounding click before skating back towards the entrance of the archives.
[WE CAN GO NOW– LESS CHANCE FOR AN AMBUSH DURING THE DAY.]
Frankly, as long as Michael was with VB, no one would touch him. Watch him, perhaps, but not outright attack him.
Michael had seen just how fast you truly were, only the Archangels could keep up with you, no other Heavenly being had it in them, this much he knew for a fact
“They’d definitely have a hard time catching you, VB, I’ve seen how fucking fast you are. Honestly, only us Archangels can keep up, but, we mean you no harm, machines don’t concern us anymore.”
The feeling of the needle being suddenly pulled out from his wrist caused Michael to wince slightly, it didn’t hurt, it just caught him off guard, sighing, he got up as well
“Alright, you’ve got a point, lead the way, VB. Though… would it be faster if I teleported us down to the Lust layer? I can do that with ease, but it’s completely up to you.”
VB made a mechanical humming sound, shifting his weight back and forth between his skates quickly. It… would be faster for Michael to teleport them there. His fuel gauge was higher than it had been in awhile, though…
She quickly glanced over Michael once more. How fast could he move…?
…They’d get to Lust in no time moving at full speed.
He took off like a shot, using the boosters in his legs to skate as fast as possible out of the archive room, sliding and bouncing and gliding to gain momentum, and keep it.
They shouted over their shoulder as they moved, assuming Michael was right behind them.
A smirk formed on Michael’s face, although you couldn’t see it due to the darkness that shrouded it, he always loved a challenge, and well… this was definitely one of many
“So it’s a race you want, huh VB? Heh, well… it’s a race you’re gonna fucking get! Be ready! Cause I’m not gonna let you win that easily!”
Exhaling, he got up, stretched, and immediately took off running after you, despite his buff stature, Michael was pretty quick, he was able to keep up with Gabriel after all, and before you knew it, he was right beside you
“This is hardly a challenge, VB! C’mon! You gotta give me something more! Show me what you were made for! I may be muscular… but don’t underestimate me!”
VB was trilling and chirping as it skated, clearly having a ton of fun as it gained as much momentum as possible. It was moving incredibly fast, but it was still glancing over its shoulder periodically, seeing Michael catch up easily.
[YOU WILL REGRET THAT!]
VB decided right then that he wasn't going to be looking over his shoulder anymore, instead creating a small explosion from his feet, propelling him forward and off of a wall, the bounce into the skating giving him enough momentum to absolutely be dangerous if he ran into something.
She took the path that was harder to navigate, but with lots of little spaces for her to slide through, spaces that she knew would be harder to navigate for Michael. Her slides barely lost any momentum, especially since she went right back into skating afterwards.
Michael’s smirk never faltered, no matter how fast you skated around, he still managed to keep up, he knew the halls of Heaven like the backs of his four hands after all, so of course he wasn’t gonna let you get away that easily
“Think you can get away that easily VB? Haha! Oh you’re SORELY mistaken! Ready or not… here I fucking come!!”
The eldest of the Archangels jumped up and took to the skies with ease, his barely visible orange wings casting a consistent glow on everything in his vicinity, even while flying, his speed didn’t diminish
“Haha! Oh, I can’t remember the last time I took flight like this! And don’t think I can’t see you, VB! You can’t outmaneuver me THAT easily!”
VB was at a disadvantage, at least until they hit the mouth of Hell, it had never been in Heaven before and Michael had been here his whole life. It needed terrain that couldn't be flown over, or through, without more challenges, something that was made to be navigated on foot instead of in the air–
Or maybe something else, a way to trick Michael, perhaps? One thing was clear, it needed time to get ahead, and win.
There was a large group of angels gathered around something in the distance, angels that were notably larger than VB itself, and a plan started to form. It quickly shuffled through its database, pulling up the model of itself, before skating into the crowd.
Two identical copies of VB skated back out from it, causing a great commotion among the angels around it, and took off in opposite directions.
Michael didn’t slow down in his pursuit, not even when the large group of angels below called out to him, he didn’t have time, plus they probably either wanted to chat up a storm or question everything, he wasn’t in the mood for it
“You really think that’s gonna be enough to stop me, VB?! Haha! Oh, it’s cute how much you underestimate me!”
With the sol behind him still brightly illuminated, he flew faster, nearly gliding at this point, the eldest of the Archangels was not only having fun, but also making sure to keep you on his radar at all times, you wouldn’t be the victor in this!
“Don’t forget, VB! I’m God’s Wisdom! Such a trick won’t be enough to throw me off your path! I know where you are! Which one is the real you! There’s no fucking escape! Haha!”
VB trilled loudly, clearly not upset over Michael immediately clocking his location, and clocking his trick. He had nothing else other than making it to the mouth of Hell, where he was more familiar with the terrain, and all of its shortcuts.
[YOU ARE FAST!!!]
She sounded incredibly pleased with that statement, pleased that someone could keep up with her reliably even in a silly race. She slid the rest of the way out of Heaven, launching herself fully towards the mouth of Hell, a jump and fall that was nothing short of terrifying, but VB didn’t even think twice, just launching herself fully.
Michael didn’t think twice and dove in after you, he was no stranger to Hell after all, he just… rarely visits it, not because he’s afraid, but because the need never really presented itself, the lowest he’d ever gone was Heresy truth be told
“You think Hell’s enough to stop me, VB?! I think fucking not! Hahaha! Keep running! Let’s see how long we can keep this up!”
The eldest of the Archangels truly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun, well… aside from when… he and his brothers were younger, and… when he and Phanuel… he shook his head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and focused on you instead
“You’d be surprised by just how fast I can go, VB! What do you say, wanna pick up the pace? I’d be more than happy to! Hahaha!”
VB did keep running, skating as fast as he possibly could. Hell was where he thrived, knowing all the shortcuts and incredibly narrow passageways in the rooms that Michael would struggle through.
[HELL IS FULL OF SMALL SPACES– GOOD LUCK!!!]
VB itself was small, and that was an intentional design, made to fit into small spaces with the intent of gathering samples. That also meant that it could absolutely fly through crevasses in the walls that were not as easily doable for bigger people, or bigger angels.
She used the boosters in her legs regularly, just to gain that little bit of speed against Michael, knowing the second they were out of a small space, he would catch up to her immediately. She was chirping and trilling the entire time they were racing, having so much fun.
Michael fully took on this challenge, of course you thought that small spaces would slow him down, well… you’ve severely underestimated this Archangel, sure, he’s bulky in terms of muscle, but that didn’t mean he was a stranger to such things
“Oh, how you underestimate me, VB! I can do this for fucking hours! Do you honestly think small spaces are enough to slow me down?! Well… you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The eldest of the Archangels continued to give chase, making sure to keep his arms and legs fully pinned together, letting only his wings do what they needed to do while continuing to increase his speed, he’d traverse Hell just like the halls of Heaven, nothing was new to him
“Hahaha! I can tell you’re having fun with this! Let’s keep it up! Cause I’m FAR from being done! I’ve still got you in my sights, VB!”
VB happened to glance over her shoulder, trilling loudly at just how close Michael was behind her, especially as they entered Limbo with much more wide open spaces, nothing she could use to try and trick or deter him.
All he could do was skate, skate as fast as he physically could, skate so quickly it absolutely shredded through his fuel supply, but he was entirely uncaring about that, as long as he still beat Michael in the race. He used every available speed boost in his arsenal, yet it still seemed as if Michael had no problems keeping up.
It was close though, uncomfortably close as they entered the streets of Lust, VB being forced to kick off the walls of buildings to dodge the few people still wandering around this late at night, Michael hot on their heels. VB skid through the streets, aiming right at the city center, and at the incredibly large library. They took a sharp turn, absolutely crashing through the door and skating into a table, the items cascading around them. They popped their head up for the rubble as Michael entered the door immediately after.
[YOU ARE REALLY FAST!!!!!!!! THAT WAS SO FUN!!!!!!!!]
It let itself lay back into the mess it created, laughing mechanically with its optic shut, wings clicking happily.
Michael quickly landed in front of you, not at all out of breath, he seemed both amused and slightly concerned upon seeing you pop your head out of the mess you made, there was just something so… childish yet familiar about it
“Damn, VB! I didn’t expect you to crash like that! Hope you didn’t break anything vital, cause that didn’t look fun, unless you enjoy crashing into objects. Which, I’m not one to judge!”
The eldest of the Archangels held back a chuckle before holding out his right hand, offering to help you up, this entire situation really did remind him of when he and his brothers would goof off in Heaven, eons ago
“Welp, since we’re here, grab on, I’ll help you up, you klutz. I swear… you’re quite the entertaining beast, you know that, VB? But yeah, this was fun! I haven’t done something like that in eons!”
VB wasn’t phased by the crash– they crashed into stuff all the time! It was just a byproduct of moving as fast as they did, sometimes, they would miscalculate where they needed to be, and crash into something. They had repaired more chips in their paint than they could count because of it.
[I AM OKAY– USED TO IT!]
He accepted the hand up, nearly being thrown to his feet by accident. He was quite small, and Michael was quite strong. He chirped anyways, glancing around the library for a moment before righting the table, and fixing the mess he made.
[YOU ARE VERY FAST, THAT WAS FUN!!!! WE SHOULD DO A RACE THROUGH ALL OF HELL, TOP TO BOTTOM. SEE WHO WINS!]
VB had always wanted to do a full race, she had heard other machines talk about it. It sounded exhilarating. Once the mess was cleaned up, she glanced back up at Michael, sweeping an arm out behind her. The library was entirely empty at this hour.
[WELCOME TO THE LUST LAYER CENTRAL LIBRARY!!! HOME TO BOOKS AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS GALORE.]
Michael couldn’t help but find your response amusing, a machine that’s so used to crashing into things… it honestly shouldn’t surprise him at this point, but he couldn’t deny that witnessing your complete lack of self control was just so interesting to him
“You truly are one of a kind, VB. I don’t think I’ve ever met a machine as intriguing as you, fuck… I just might take you up on that offer as well! I haven’t really gotten the chance to spread my wings and take flight like this in a long time!”
The eldest of the Archangels then turned his attention to the massive library, it honestly surprised him to see so many manuscripts, books, and… even some tomes! Some of these things looked like they belonged in the Tower of Babel! How they ended up in Hell, he’ll never know
“Hm, I must say, this is a very interesting and surprising amount of material… a few of these look like they came straight out of the Tower of Babel! Which I didn’t think was possible, impressive!”
VB's wings clicked a few times back and forth, clearly pleased with the praise. There was probably something buried in its programing that made it fond of praise, but VB was more a mechanics person, not digging around in its internal code very much.
[YOU SHOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT– GET OUT OF HEAVEN FOR AWHILE.]
Michael did seem like he needed a break from the stressors of Heaven. If he ever wanted to be in Hell instead, even just for a bit, as long as VB was tailing him he'd... probably go without being bothered. Probably.
VB was intimately familiar with the library– it had spent many times bouncing between the shelves, scanning through data and updating its internal database. It didn't seem to match the atmosphere, a chaotic machine like itself, but it loved the data.
[THERE IS A LOT HERE– KING MINOS CARES A LOT ABOUT KEEPING IT WELL PRESERVED. LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING.]
Michael thinks on your offer while also looking over rows of shelves, so many things here, he just couldn’t believe that they even existed in Hell to begin with, a pleasant surprise, one he welcomed with two sets of open arms
“I definitely will take you up on that offer, VB. It’s as you surmised, I’ve been stuck in Heaven, stressing out, for far too long now… being able to spread my wings and just let loose, fuck around, would be of great benefit.”
As the eldest of the Archangels spoke, he seemed to find a shelf that caught his attention, one that was filled with tomes, definitely from the Tower of Babel, he could tell just by the way they looked, and Michael hadn’t forgotten his original reason for being here, he needed that info
“Honestly, knowing King Minos, that doesn’t surprise me one bit. He always wants what’s best for everyone, I truly do admire his passion for keeping records, and… I’ve always felt horribly guilty… all of us Archangels do… he didn’t deserve that fate…”
VB’s wings perked up, and he made a happy trilling sound. He couldn’t wait to race Michael through Hell, he’d need to plan and try to find something to slow him down so that VB could win this time.
[GOOD. IT’LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. WE’RE ON!!!!]
She skated by Michael’s side as he looked over all the books. VB would break off on her own, but Michael already seemed to be drawn to the heavy tomes, and she was curious as to why. She hadn’t scanned that particular shelf before, it had never caught her eye other than being noted as old.
They looked slightly confused at mention of Minos’ fate, internal mechanisms clicking for a moment before processing what Michael meant by that.
[OH– YOU MEAN THE DEATH OF KING MINOS?]
He forgot that the kings die, he had learned it in other universes he hopped around to, but it wasn’t yet relevant information in his home universe, so he often didn’t really think about it.
[IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE YET. I FORGOT IT HAS HAPPENED IN MOST PLACES. IT IS STRANGE TO THINK HE COULD DIE.]
Michael turns to you, a sly smirk on his darkness shrouded face, he always loved challenges like this, it gave him a chance to spread his wings and truly let loose after such a long time of being indoors, he truly needed these things
“Haha! Oh I sure as Hell hope so, VB! Scheme all you want, there’s no outrunning me! As I’m sure you were able to see on our descent! No matter what you do, nothing will-“
He paused, Minos hadn’t died yet? How is such a thing possible? He saw both Gabriel and Seraph do it, so… that’s when it clicked in the mind of the eldest of the Archangels, a different universe… one where Minos, and by proxy, Sisyphus, had yet to die… he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang in his heart… you had yet to experience… everything…
“I see… VB, when… the inevitable fall of Lust does occur in your universe… although I know many will try to prevent it… I can only hope that they succeed this time around… feel free to seek me out for asylum… I’ll be there for you, no matter what, ok?”
VB looked at Michael carefully. He hadn’t interacted with anyone from a different universe than his own who seemed… upset about the death of Minos. Especially not an archangel like Michael. The shutters of his optic squinted slightly.
[WHY ARE YOU UPSET– DIDN’T HEAVEN CALL FOR HIS DEATH?]
That seemed to be the general consensus in other universes, at least. Minos would be killed on order from the Council, he’d be imprisoned, and his soul would form a prime soul, meaning he didn’t really die.
[IT SEEMS TO BE AN EVENT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, NOT SOMETHING PREVENTABLE. THOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFER, YOU ARE… VERY KIND.]
Its internal mechanisms made a few strange clicking sounds, a little flustered at how kind Michael was, considering VB had just met him.
Michael looks down, yes, the death of Minos was ordered by Heaven… but unfortunately you didn’t know the half of it… how so many of them tried to change the minds of… them… but nothing worked… it was always the same song and dance…
“Heaven did call for his death, VB, but… we tried so hard to fight back against The Council… those fuckers are so corrupt… they never listen to reason… they don’t care… Gabriel had no choice… they threatened him severely if he didn’t…”
The eldest of the Archangels let out a sigh as he tried to think of something else, but he just couldn’t, that event… there had to be some way to prevent it from happening once more… Minos didn’t deserve his fate… he deserved to live… same with Sisyphus…
“I’ll find a way to prevent it, VB… I don’t care what it takes… King Minos along with King Sisyphus deserve to live… in your dimension… their fates can be changed..! And… thank you, for the compliment, I appreciate it..!”
VB made a few small whirring sounds as he processed the information. The idea that many of the angels are actually against the Council changed… a lot in his database. It recontextualized quite a lot of actions.
[I THOUGHT THAT THE ANGELS LIKED THE COUNCIL– DO THEY NOT?]
Now he was incredibly curious about the politics of Heaven– he didn’t really talk to angels all that much, and especially not an archangel like Michael. He stepped closer, clicking his roller skates on and off. The deaths of Minos and Sisyphus were… admittedly not as big a deal to VB. He didn’t get the fuss if they’d just come back anyways.
[THEY COME BACK TO LIFE THOUGH. THEIR DEATH IS NOT A CHANGEABLE EVENT BUT NEITHER IS THEIR REBIRTH.]
If they would be reborn anyways, why was Michael so concerned about them dying in this world?
Michael knew he had to explain to you why so many in Heaven feared The Council… why they were worse than any and all demons he knew about… and why… their corruption had gone on for too long…
“It… may seem that way, VB, but… behind the scenes of what everyone sees, is nothing but horror… be it abuse… assault… cult like behavior… cannibalism… you name it… The Council is pure fucking evil… they make what takes place in Hell look like absolute paradise.”
At the mention of how the deaths and rebirths of both Minos and Sisyphus were all but inevitable events, the eldest of the Archangels took a breath, he knew this… and yet it still stung… horribly…
“The inevitably of both events can’t be avoided, I know but… that doesn’t mean that they deserve it… such things shouldn’t be decided on a whim… King Minos and King Sisyphus deserve to live… not suffer throughout every timeline… it’s… just not fair…”
VB’s lenses readjusted, making it look like his eye went wide. He… didn’t know that about the Council. It made a lot of sense, in hindsight, that they were a terrible group of people, but…
[WHY ARE THEY STILL IN POWER? YOU SAID CULT, BUT… YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR INFLUENCE, SURELY THERE ARE OTHERS TO HELP YOU OVERTHROW THEM?]
VB could…. help. It would probably be the last thing he ever did, but he’d be willing to try.
[I COULD HELP– BAD FIGHTER. BUT I COULD TRY.]
If what Michael said was true, VB wanted to help. They had to get rid of the Council so that the angels could have reform similar to that in Hell. It felt absurd that the layers of Hell had better government systems in place than… Heaven itself.
VB whirred slightly when Michael continued to talk. He… sounded incredibly guilty about their deaths, but VB didn’t understand still why. Sure, them not suffering would be great, but… they would still come back again. Perhaps VB didn’t need to understand why– they weren’t always the best with emotions.
[IF THE COUNCIL WAS GONE, PERHAPS THEY WOULDN’T DIE. NO ONE TO GIVE THE ORDER.]
Right… you didn’t know… Michael looked down, The Council… it didn’t matter what your ranking in Heaven was… be it lesser or Seraphim… they didn’t care… he hated it… so much… recalling everything… how the rot would never vanish…
“The Council… they don’t give two fucks about your ranking in Heaven… VB… it doesn’t matter if you’re a lesser angel or a Seraphim… they use and abuse you all the same… my brothers and I… even as Archangels… weren’t spared from their cruelty… we never were… and never will be…”
Upon hearing you not only bring up that you’d be willing to fight, but also how if The Council was gone, then Minos and Sisyphus wouldn’t die, such thoughts… the eldest of the Archangels wished they could become a reality, he truly did
“No matter how many times you kill them… they just keep reforming… the rot remains… an unending and disgusting cycle… a “holy” Ouroboros… King Minos and King Sisyphus… their deaths are all but assured in every timeline… and I hate it… so much…”
VB listened to everything Michael said intently, wings drooping down the longer he spoke. If there was seemingly no way to get rid of the Council, if their rule was an inevitable… how was any change ever supposed to be made? His systems whirred as he processed the information, trying to think of something to counter Michael, an idea to overthrow the Council entirely. He vented out air, sounding like a huffy sigh, when he couldn’t think of anything.
[…SORRY.]
It was all she could think to say, apologizing for the situation that Michael and the angels all seemed stuck in. It was a bizarre situation, that the angels had seemingly worse lives than those in Hell.
[DO YOU HAVE TO STAY IN HEAVEN? COULD YOU LEAVE?]
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but… if Michael and his siblings just moved to Hell instead, would that solve the problem? Or would the Council just extend their reach down here as well? They supposed it would be the latter, considering they had no problem killing both of the kings by proxy.
Michael could feel how much you wanted to find a solution for him and all the other angels that resided in Heaven… but what you didn’t account for was that some of the angels that resided there… were far from holy…
“I truly do still hold out a sliver of hope that things will change one day, VB, but… it’s been eons… and change has yet to come… Hell, there are some angels in Heaven who… don’t deserve to be there… those reprobates…”
The sol behind the eldest of the Archangels began to flicker as sparks fell to the floor, flammable, but luckily they didn’t ignite, he had control over them, for now at least… leaving Heaven for Hell… they tried once before… it… wasn’t pretty…
“Unfortunately me and my brothers can’t leave… At least not until Heaven completely falls apart… The Council’s reach is… horrifying… they’ll do anything and everything to ensure that we stay in line… like good little soldiers…”
VB was upset now, upset that there wasn’t a clear solution for her to give Michael that could help his situation. She didn’t want him to have to live under the thumb of the Council, it wasn’t fair. He deserved to live his life, far away from all of them. She was making an angry droning sound, clicking her skates on and off rapidly.
[IT IS NOT FAIR– YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THE COUNCIL PINNING YOU LIKE A BUG UNDER THEIR THUMB.]
They, unfortunately, were not surprised that all of Heaven’s angels were not, well, angels. With the Council as the ruling body of Heaven, it only made sense, that Heaven had angels that were… not the greatest. That only made them angrier, optic shutters narrowing into a squint as they continued to drone.
[HEAVEN IS STUPID. ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE NO BETTER THAN SINNERS IN HELL– WHAT IS THE POINT?]
There was no distinction in VB’s mind between the two– Heaven was just as bad. Especially with the more he head from Michael, he was certain that was the case.
Michael could easily tell just how upset you had become, and he couldn’t blame you… Heaven truly was worse than Hell… there wasn’t a way to argue against such a fact… especially when taken into account the most recent discoveries…
“I agree fully, VB, but… The Council won’t allow us to walk free… unless we want to experience abuse that’s far worse than what we endured before… those threats and scare tactics keep us in line…”
The eldest of the Archangels couldn’t help but think back to everything… it hurt him so much… he did all he could to ensure the safety of not only his brothers… but also those who truly didn’t deserve what was unleashed upon them…
“This information will frustrate you further, but… there are some angels that reside in Heaven who… think taking advantage of those who are weaker… more vulnerable… is perfectly fine and not a crime… two were recently killed… I aided in the death of one… he abused my daughter… but… one still remains… and he is beyond dangerous…”
VB just… didn’t understand. They didn’t understand, how could Heaven run successfully with a leadership model like the Council? What could they possibly do to keep an archangel like Michael in line? They supposed having angels that sided with them, that were just as terrible and manipulative as they were, probably helped bolster their control. Their wings were twitching with anger as they continued to make that droning, upset noise.
[ANGELS ARE NOT ABOVE ANYONE IN MORALITY– THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR HORRIBLE THINGS.]
It wasn’t enough. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the fact that there were angels so willing to take advantage of those weaker than them, it felt… opposite to everything she had read about angelic life. Though, she supposed, that was probably it. Readings were not equivalent to real life, lived experiences.
[I AM GLAD YOU AIDED IN THE DEATH OF ONE, BUT THE OTHER MUST DIE. LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.]
He was still stuck on that– he wanted the Council dead for Michael… even though it would probably spring back up in another form, at least it would be a respite from the hell.
Michael knew all too well what you meant, it frustrated him beyond belief… in Heaven, the angels were slaves to power… all the talk about righteousness was nothing but a front, there was nothing pure about Heaven…
“VB, at this point, The Council is above even The Father… he won’t be able to regain control of his own domain… they never stay dead… it’s so fucking disgusting…”
The eldest of the Archangels felt a bit of pride upon hearing you praise him for aiding in the death of Graphiel, but he understood why the other one… why he needed to die as well… but with all the info he now had… such a task would be…
“Thank you, for your praise, I appreciate it, however… killing the other one… from what I was able to gather… it’s practically impossible… he’s a fallen Seraphim… the highest ranking angel just below The Father… Seraphim are extremely hard to kill…”
VB didn’t like any of that information. He wasn’t a big follower of God or anything, but it… didn’t seem possible that he would be overpowered by the Council on his return. That… wasn’t how Heaven was supposed to work, it didn’t make any sense.
The more Michael talked about Heaven, and the angels in it, the more thankful VB became that they weren’t angelic in the slightest. Fuck that.
[PERHAPS OVERTHROWING THE COUNCIL RIGHT AFTER THE RETURN OF GOD WOULD DO IT. WEAKEN THEN ENOUGH TO GET RID ENTIRELY.]
It probably wouldn’t work, especially considering the angels that Michael said resided in Heaven. And that some of them couldn’t be killed… it was absolutely infuriating. VB glanced around the library for a moment. Maybe Michael just… hadn’t found how to kill a Seraphim yet. Maybe his answer was hidden somewhere in the extensive library, tucked away among all the other books.
[BUT THEY ARE KILLABLE. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HOW.]
Michael moves to scan over more books while still speaking, none of them seem to catch his interest, almost like the information within said texts were things he already knew… there has to be something here… right..?
“The thing is, VB… we’re scared to try anything against The Council… especially after all they’ve done to us… and uprising just feels like the quickest path to more suffering…”
The eldest of the Archangels sighed to himself, was it really possible to kill a Seraphim..? He knows how indestructible they are due to one of his brothers literally being one… they regenerate faster than most angels… it just… didn’t seem possible to him…
“I just can’t see any known ways to kill a Seraphim… I have a brother who’s one… The Council did all they could to try and completely tear him down… nearly succeeded too… but still he rose from the ashes, broken, battered, and traumatized, yes… but he didn’t die… Seraphim are near indestructible…”
VB deflated slightly, wings drooping down. They didn’t like when there wasn’t a clear solution to a problem. Usually, enough research could get them to something usable, but it felt as though Michael had already exhausted all avenues when it came to removing the Council. It just seemed… wrong.
[…UNDERSTOOD. I STILL… WISH YOU COULD REMOVE THEM.]
Maybe she’d find something in these books that could help overthrow the Council. Or find something information as to how to kill a seraphim. Michael said they were near invincible.
…VB knew enough machines designed for war to know that near invincible was definitely not the same thing as invincible. Seraphim could be killed. It was just a matter of how.
[WE JUST NEED TO FIND A WAY. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– THEY CAN DIE. IF THEY ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT, IT WILL JUST TAKE MORE TIME AND MORE POWER.]
VB started pulling random books off the shelves, scanning through them at breakneck speeds like with the archives before, looking for any relevant information.
Michael grabs a book that seemed to be gold plated and pulled it out before opening it to read, or at least look over the texts for any helpful information, he knew books like these were definitely important
“It’s just the fact that when we kill The Council, VB, a whole new wave revives it… if we truly wanted to exterminate the entire thing, it would require a mass genocide in Heaven… and… we can’t have that…”
The eldest of the Archangels suddenly winced when he realized what book he had picked up, the sol behind him flickering, he failed to look at the title… it was a full retelling of the Book of Enoch… and just laying eyes on said text made him nauseous
“More power, right… if only Archangels were above Seraphim or at least equal in power to them… then maybe we’d actually stand a fucking chance..! But no… they’re the closest angels to The Father, I wouldn’t be surprised if trying to kill one injures him too…”
VB vented a sigh through her vents. Michael was right– killing a large amount of angels just to remove the Council entirely wasn’t feasible. Or good for Heaven as a whole. It still bothered her, though, continuing to flip through and put back more books. Perhaps she would come up with another solution with something from her personal database later.
He continued to listen to Michael talk, squinting once more when he heard about Seraphim. It just… didn’t make sense. They weren’t invincible, all angels could die, it was just a matter of how, no matter how strong they were, or how close to God.
[ARCHANGELS HAVE TRIED– HAVE WARMACHINES? SAME RESULT?]
Perhaps an angel was not strong enough, but something built for the war could? It was probably a long shot, or a silly question, but VB was trying to exhaust all potential options. There had to be something that Michael was missing, some way to complete the task at hand. VB was certain of it.
Michael thought on your questions for a minute while still reading over the text in the book he held, as far as he knew, V1 tried to tear him apart but he regenerated was faster than anyone could’ve imagined, at least, that’s what Gabriel told him
“Unfortunately, it seems like War Machines can’t either… I got a report from my youngest brother, Gabriel, about how his partner V1 couldn’t tear that fucking fallen Seraphim apart… he just kept regenerating at an alarmingly fast rate… and I don’t know if his victim, that six winged Mindflayer, was even able to leave a scratch on him…”
The eldest of the Archangels’s grip tightened on the gold plated book he held as he recalled everything Gabriel told him… it made him sick and very angry… yet each idea he came up with led to a dead end… always back to square one…
“I have no idea if The Father has ever tried, VB, but… considering how close Seraphim are to him, might as well call such a thing self mutilation, as it would harm him just as much… as if The Father’s ego death wasn’t bad enough to begin with…”
VB slammed the book back into its place with more force than she intended, wings twitching as she chittered, the sound notably upset. They were getting nowhere, they would have to go through the whole library at this rate. It was a thing that VB didn't normally mind, she loved gaining new information, but this was just something so... large. So important, she wanted a solution to the whole situation now.
He vented air out, the sound mimicking a sigh as he closed his optic for a moment. It was no use getting upset about– there was nothing that could be done by getting upset. But it was– it was just so upsetting. The idea that there were seraphim who abused their power in such a way, to hurt others, and there was nothing to be done about it.
[...HAS HELL TRIED?]
Another impossible long shot– if God hadn't tried but probably couldn't, and war machines couldn't, VB's only remaining thought was Hell, considering it was God's creation. But even that seemed far-fetched.
It sighed once more, opening another book to scan through, not really looking at Michael, visibly deflated.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
The soft hum of the white noise filled the room, the artificial chirp of crickets and the synthetic rush of water accompanying it. It was...soothing, to say the least. And it prevented silence. They hated silence.
But part of them was still on edge, constantly eyeing the doors to stay on alert, their body still somewhat tense, even as VB lay limp against their side. V-X didn't know how long the other machine needed to sleep, but part of her hoped it wouldn't be too long. Though deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
It was along time before VB showed any signs of stirring. He hadn’t gone into sleep mode in longer than he could remember, he needed the rest for his chronically underfuelled systems.
It started slow. A small change in the white noise, crickets and rain fading out into the gentle sounds of a farm, of grass crunching and animals grazing in the early morning hours. Then, small movements from VB once more, a wing blade twitch here, a finger twitch there, body moving to curl into V-X further.
Their optic slid open part of the way as a rooster crowed, lights coming back to about 75%. Not fully awake, but getting there.
[…V-X?]
Her optic slowly slid down to their hands, snuggling closer with a puff of air from her vents. V-X had stayed. They had protected her. Her fans kicked on incredibly loud and damning, all of her body and wing lights shifting towards a pink color instead of her usual red.
V-X's thoughts had begun to spiral while VB was asleep. Thoughts of the past, their life before, whether or not it was smart to let themself get close to another after all these years of being alone.
They thought about VB, they thought a lot about him. Maybe too much. How he was willing to stay close to them, to seek comfort in their protection.
V-X was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the change in white noise, too focused on staying in her position and protecting and too wrapped up in her own mind that-
She was startled when she heard VB speak, but ecstatic, beeping excitedly.
"Awake?"
She signed at first, her gaze quickly averting to notice the new pink color in their wings.
VB nodded, clearly not entirely awake as she hid her face in V-X's shoulder for a moment, only peeking back out when she felt V-X shift under her, catching just enough of their sign for her wings to go even more pink, caught as she was. Did she lie? She didn't really want to lie to V-X, but saying her wings worked like a giant mood ring was... embarrassing.
[MY WINGS CAN... CHAaaANGE COLORS. ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAN.]
He winced as his voice glitched out slightly, sounding incredibly embarrassed for a machine with no vocal tone. His fans were still running at full speed, venting hot air from his back to try and cool his internal temperature down.
They weren't sure why the thought of V-X staying, of V-X protecting them was so flustering. Why the thought of V-X letting them lay comfortably on her made their internal temperature rise, made their lights change color. They probably should refer back to their manuals, see if there was anything about this in there.
V-X nodded at the thanks, nuzzling a bit closer to VB.
“No need to thank me. Least I could do. You helped me, so I help you.”
It was more than that, much more than just transactional to her. The thought of protecting another instead of causing harm, it made her feel a certain way. Especially protecting VB, making sure she was safe and comfortable… it brought them so much joy.
When it came to VB’s wings, however, their curiosity was still not satiated.
“Why did your wings turn pink?”
V-X pried a little bit, chittering softly. The change in color alongside the sudden increase in the speed of VB’s fans, it intrigued her, but she couldn’t quite place it together.
VB wasn't entirely sure when she had possibly helped V-X, but they signed it so confidently, she supposed she had done something for V-X. It... made sense. That made sense, that they were just... helping each other out. Camaraderie between two beings similar in design.
If only he could get his fans and lights to get the memo, that this was just a transactional thing. Yet here he was, sounding as loud as an Earthmover, wings twitching with embarrassment as V-X nuzzling closer only made them go brighter, more visibly pink. Why was he feeling this way?
[MmmMY WINGS CHANGE COLORS BASED ON... IiiINTERNAL FACTORS. MOooOD, INTERNAL TEMPERATURE, FUEL LEVEL, THINGS LIKE THAT. MADE IT EASIER FOR MY CREATORS TO KEEP AN EYE ON VARIABLES WITHOUT HAVING TO OPEN MY SYSTEMS.]
Their voice kept glitching out, not quite looking at V-X as they spoke, instead keeping their head tucked into her shoulder, so they could only see her hands. Their speakers wasn't covered in any way, but their voice still came out quiet, a little shy. They weren't sure whether that answer would be enough to satiate V-X's curiosity, but it was.... technically an answer.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
The soft hum of the white noise filled the room, the artificial chirp of crickets and the synthetic rush of water accompanying it. It was...soothing, to say the least. And it prevented silence. They hated silence.
But part of them was still on edge, constantly eyeing the doors to stay on alert, their body still somewhat tense, even as VB lay limp against their side. V-X didn't know how long the other machine needed to sleep, but part of her hoped it wouldn't be too long. Though deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
It was along time before VB showed any signs of stirring. He hadn’t gone into sleep mode in longer than he could remember, he needed the rest for his chronically underfuelled systems.
It started slow. A small change in the white noise, crickets and rain fading out into the gentle sounds of a farm, of grass crunching and animals grazing in the early morning hours. Then, small movements from VB once more, a wing blade twitch here, a finger twitch there, body moving to curl into V-X further.
Their optic slid open part of the way as a rooster crowed, lights coming back to about 75%. Not fully awake, but getting there.
[…V-X?]
Her optic slowly slid down to their hands, snuggling closer with a puff of air from her vents. V-X had stayed. They had protected her. Her fans kicked on incredibly loud and damning, all of her body and wing lights shifting towards a pink color instead of her usual red.
V-X's thoughts had begun to spiral while VB was asleep. Thoughts of the past, their life before, whether or not it was smart to let themself get close to another after all these years of being alone.
They thought about VB, they thought a lot about him. Maybe too much. How he was willing to stay close to them, to seek comfort in their protection.
V-X was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the change in white noise, too focused on staying in her position and protecting and too wrapped up in her own mind that-
She was startled when she heard VB speak, but ecstatic, beeping excitedly.
"Awake?"
She signed at first, her gaze quickly averting to notice the new pink color in their wings.
VB nodded, clearly not entirely awake as she hid her face in V-X's shoulder for a moment, only peeking back out when she felt V-X shift under her, catching just enough of their sign for her wings to go even more pink, caught as she was. Did she lie? She didn't really want to lie to V-X, but saying her wings worked like a giant mood ring was... embarrassing.
[MY WINGS CAN... CHAaaANGE COLORS. ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAN.]
He winced as his voice glitched out slightly, sounding incredibly embarrassed for a machine with no vocal tone. His fans were still running at full speed, venting hot air from his back to try and cool his internal temperature down.
They weren't sure why the thought of V-X staying, of V-X protecting them was so flustering. Why the thought of V-X letting them lay comfortably on her made their internal temperature rise, made their lights change color. They probably should refer back to their manuals, see if there was anything about this in there.
(A dark grey machine, appearing to be a larger V model lands near them)
[@hells-v-ex-splorer]
[you’re cool and VB inspired me to make my own V model oc so I would like for them to meet]
VB jumped, turning to look at the other machine while ducking behind a telephone pole. She was torn between getting a closer look, and fleeing the scene immediately, trying to avoid a fight, but her curiosity always won out.
[HELLO!!!]
She peeked out from her hiding spot, skating over to the other V-Model quickly, lenses clicking out to scan them.
VB had no sense of personal space, skating a full circle around V-Ex to complete the scan, lenses clicking back once it was complete. She projected the hologram of him on the ground next to her when she was done, skating back slightly.
[VB!]
She tapped her designation on her chest, as hard to see as it was in the low lighting.
[WHAT ARE YOU IN HELL FOR?]
He clicked his skates on and off as he stood, incredibly antsy for a machine, unable to really stop moving.
VB stopped in front of him, wings and eye glowing brighter from her excitement. Her wings were still clicking back and forth, twitching as she trilled.
[I WENT TO HEAVEN ONCE– I SCANNED SO MANY ARCHIVES, WHAT DID YOU DO?]
It took a lagging moment before he processed the rest of what V-Ex said. He had never been anywhere but here? That just meant it was perfect to explore!
[WE SHOULD EXPLORE!!! THIS IS THE LUST LAYER, IT IS A CITY.]
VB’s wings clicked back and forth happily, clicking and chirping at the mention of Michael. Michael was incredibly kind to her– she’d consider him a good friend.
[MICHAEL IS VERY FUN!! THE ARCHIVES ARE EXCELLENT AS WELL!!!]
He skated off in one direction in Lust, assuming V-Ex was following him close behind, making sure to not go too fast so the other machine could keep up.
[LUST IS VERY PRETTY IN THE CITY CENTER, IT IS WHERE EVERYTHING IS. ALL OF THE CITY COMES TOGETHER THERE.]
VB continued skating, trying to slow down further so V-Ex didn’t have to sprint as quickly as he was. They moved through the streets of Lust, under the light of the street lamps, avoiding other machines and demons as they continued.
[LUST IS… FUN. NOT THE BEST FOR SAMPLING PURPOSES, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. GOOD FOR FIELD RESEARCH. AND THERE IS A HUGE LIBRARY, RIVALS THE ARCHIVES.]
It wasn’t her home, but it was definitely quite the cool place in Hell. Showed just how resilient people could be, even when faced with what was supposed to be eternal suffering.
VB clicked and chirped, slowing down to show off to V-Ex. She clicked her main panel open, tucked away in the space between where her ribs would be, was a fully temperature controlled container packed full with samples.
[WAS MOSTLY MADE TO COLLECT SAMPLES, BUT I GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AS WELL. HAVE A LOT OF DATA STORED.]
It was perfect– VB and V-Ex were almost like opposite ends of the spectrum for exploration machines, each made for something specific. He clicked his panel shut, continuing to skate once more.
VB chirped happily right back, continuing to skate through Lust, heading for the library. She had a feeling that V-Ex would appreciate just how much information was stored there.
[CANNOT IMAGINE HOW MUCH INFORMATION WE HAVE STORED BETWEEN OUR TWO SYSTEMS!]
He slid to a stop in front of Lust’s library, located right in the heart of the bustling city center. He pushed the door open, gesturing V-Ex inside.
[WE ARE IN THE CITY CENTER NOW– THIS IS THE LIBRARY. THE MOST BOOKS AND ARCHIVES ANYWHERE IN HELL.]
VB…. wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here. But there were so many archives, she was practically buzzing with happiness, skating around the room and scanning everything they came across. It was not being the most... attentive, not exactly paying attention to anyone else entering the room...
-@fromthe-very-beginning
“..?”
Michael looks up from his planner, he could hear the skating noise all the way from his makeshift office
“Oh for fucks sake… what now? Who could possibly think skating in here is a good idea?!”
He gets up and walks out to the main hall of the archive room, muttering things under his breath that many would consider carnal sins
“Hey! Mind cutting that the fuck out?! How the Hell did you even get in here?! Goddamn… is it really that hard to ask for my permission before entering?!”
VB startled, moving at such high speeds that it crashed fully into one of the shelves, sending archives tumbling down around herself as she sprawled out on the ground, retracting their skates quickly. It took a few moments for him to regain his bearings, peeking up at the angel.
[SORRY...]
It popped up, trying to creep close enough to scan the angel, lenses clicking into place quickly, abandoning the mess they made on the floor. He'd clean it up later, once it had scanned everything in the pile.
Michael’s orange wings droop slightly, he’s annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this whole situation
“Another machine… how in the Hell did you get up here? Never mind that… mind explaining why the fuck you were skating around so haphazardly?!”
His upper arms were already crossed, right foot tapping against the floor to show impatience
“The Heavenly archive room holds many texts and documents that can’t be found elsewhere, so you best hope none of the ones you knocked over are damaged, machine…”
VB moved a little bit closer, seemingly not worried about the angel's clear irritation. Once it got within range, they stood still until the scan was complete.
[SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME!!! NEED TO MOVE FAST–]
The scan completed, and she was off again, projecting the scan of Michael on the ground next to him, the hologram spinning around slowly, while they shuffled through the archives for ones that hadn't been scanned yet. It found one, holding it up victoriously, and began scanning it.
VB moved through its scan, quickly putting the archive up onto the shelf before moving to another one, letting the hologram continue to spin absentmindedly next to it.
[NEED TO READ AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I AM KICKED OUT]
She didn't look back at Michael, continuing to talk as they scanned. The hologram of Michael did a little dance.
[HOLOGRAM!!! I SCANNED YOU INTO MY DATABASE.]
It flipped its head around perfectly 180 degrees to look back at Michael.
He just watches in complete shock as you scan through each archive with impressive speeds
“I’m not gonna kick you out, machine, Christ on high… you can slow the fuck down now!”
Michael side eyes the hologram, completely unnerved by it
“Right… and you’re making it… dance..? Fucking Hell… and here I thought I’d seen it all! Why did you project it in the first place..?! And- that question you just asked is completely irrelevant! You don’t need to know that!”
VB only slowed slightly down on scanning the archives, still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed that was just her default state. The machine continued to make the hologram dance for a moment, before it disappeared entirely.
[WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. ISN'T IT COOL???]
It skated back over to Michael, holding out their hand. In it, a small hologram of Michael rested, curled up like a cat, sleeping.
[VERSATILE. MANY USES.]
He chirped a few times, skating quickly back over to the archives.
The eldest of the Archangels was definitely relived to see you slow down, even if it wasn’t all the way, he’d take anything at this point
“Right… sorry, I’m just not used to such… technology? And- why the fuck is it sleeping like a cat now..?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re making a fucking mockery of me..!”
He sighs, doing all that he can to keep himself from losing his mind
“I- yes… it’s an alcoholic beverage… why do you want to know so badly? I don’t believe it’s safe for a machine to drink such things, especially if you run on blood of all fucking substances.”
[NOT MOCKING. IMPORTANT! YOU ARE IN MY DATABASE NOW.]
It flipped its head back around to continue scanning records. It was clear that he only scanned things that were deemed important, which…. coincidentally happened to be everything.
[HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?]
He honestly was just incredibly curious, even if the information was entirely irrelevant to itself.
He didn’t even know how to properly process all of this, and seeing you scan over literally everything wasn’t helping his confusion
“Why… am I in your database now..? What’s the fucking purpose of that..?! I’m just… so Goddamn confused now… all this tech talk is making my head spin…”
Hearing the genuine curiosity in your voice regarding beer, how it’s made, and how it tastes, he perks up slightly
“Well… beer can be made through a multitude of ways, but all you really need is boiling water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. Those are the key ingredients. As for how it tastes… it can be pretty damn bitter but also sweet depending on the ingredients.”
VB was perfectly still as it scanned, seemingly the only thing that stopped the machine from moving around constantly. She wanted to make sure that the scan was clear, and she didn't have to redo it once it was complete.
[IN DATABASE– I KNOW YOU NOW! YOU ARE...]
It trailed off, realizing that there were blanks in the entry.
[WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I AM VB!]
It tapped its chest where the engraving was, not fully realizing that it was facing away from Michael.
She listened carefully as Michael explained beer, opening a new database entry and making mental notes about the drink.
[WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT? BITTER AND SWEET ARE OPPOSITES, YES?]
Despite being even more confused than before, he decides to play along with this, not wanting to cause anything else
“I guess that makes sense? Wait… you don’t know my damn name?! I’m the Archangel Michael! How in the fuck- ah, never mind… it’s good to meet you, VB.”
Upon hearing you question why beer can be both bitter and sweet, he sighs quietly
“Like I said, it all depends on the ingredients, even though bitter and sweet contrast each other in theory. Mixed together the correct way, especially in an alcoholic drink, they just work so fucking well together.”
When VB heard the archangel's name, it paused for a split second, going through every instance of [ARCHANGEL MICHAEL] in its database. It perked up when it found what it was looking for, glancing back at Michael.
[ARCHANGEL MICHAEL! FROM THE BIBLE! I HAVE CREATED THE CONNECTION.]
She had read the Old and New Testaments during her limited time on Earth, scanning them all into her database. It was nice to put a "face to the name", as is said.
His voice box made a little musical droning sound, clearly a hum as he thought about all he was learning about beer.
[HM. LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES TASTING DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING ALL BLOOD? DEMON VS DIVINE, ETC?]
He couldn’t help but observe with growing intrigue, even though machines annoyed him, you were definitely something different
“Yes, that’s me, I’m honestly shocked that you didn’t save such valuable information, VB. But then again… you probably have a lot on your damn mind, so who am I to judge?”
Hearing you compare the different tastes of beer to blood just further solidified his intrigue
“I’d say that’s one way to put it as a comparison. Not that I know what different types of blood taste like, all I know is that fucking metallic taste…”
VB clicked a few times, almost chiding. It put the final record it had knocked over back on the shelf, before standing and turning around, projecting another hologram that looked almost like a map of constellations. There were larger stars, with smaller branches and stars coming off of them, all coming off of one large star.
[MAP OF EVERY MENTION OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN MY SYSTEM. SMALLER SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FILE TYPES. A LOT OF .TXT FILES. NEEDED TO CONNECT YOUR .GLTF SCAN TO THE MAP, WHICH TOOK A SECOND. SORRY!!!]
She quickly got rid of the hologram, remembering Michael's irritation at the last one.
[DIFFERENT BLOOD HAS DIFFERENT TASTES. DIVINE IS SWEETER AND RICHER. DEMONIC IS DARKER AND HEAVIER. NOT METALLIC.]
Michael stared at the constellations in both shock and awe, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a beautiful display
“These constellations… I haven’t seen them in such a long time… machine, I’m speechless..! Why don’t you show me this sooner..?!”
He then snapped back to reality upon hearing you describe the different tastes of blood, right, this was in response to his beer thing
“Is that why you enjoy beating the shit outta angels? Or do you much prefer the blood of your own kind? This genuinely has me interested as all fuck now.”
VB tilted its head, trying to understand what Michael meant by that. It was just the map of its database– Oh. Well, he supposed it did look like stars.
[MAP IS NOT REAL STARS, JUST DATA VISUALISATION. I HAVE REAL STARS SOMEWHERE…]
She trailed off, trying to find the file– yes! She projected a hologram of a real star map this time, the actual stars and constellations visible from Earth.
[REAL STARS FOR YOU! A 3D RECREATION OF A SCAN OF MULTIPLE PHOTOS FROM BEFORE THE WAR, WHEN THE STARS WERE STILL VISIBLE.]
She left that scan projecting onto the ceiling, hoping Michael liked it. It had taken them ages to create the full 3D model off of as many photos of the stars as possible, a full map of every star visible from Earth.
He looked at the floor when Michael mentioned the blood again, clicking his skates in and out over and over again.
[DO NOT BEAT UP ANGELS– DON’T LIKE FIGHTING. ANGEL BLOOD TASTES BEST, BUT I GO DOWN TO FRAUD AND HOPE THE DEATHCATCHERS CAN REANIMATE SOMETHING FOR ME TO REFUEL FROM.]
Michael watches as the map changes from what it was originally to the 3D recreation, he was even more blown away than before, such beauty
“I… had no idea that these constellations lost their radiance after the war… they’re so beautiful… each one brimming with life and… a cosmic holiness that none could ever replicate…”
Hearing more of your explanation, he didn’t take his eyes off of the recreation but he did respond, it would be rude not to after all
“Deathcatchers, eh? I guess that makes more sense, the damned things always weirded me out… but if they provide you with an unlimited supply of blood, then who am I to fucking judge?”
VB nodded. It had… never actually seen the stars, but it knew that they couldn’t be seen once the war occurred.
[HARD TO SEE STARS WHEN EVERYTHING IS POLLUTED.]
He watched Michael watch the stars. He was… glad that he seemed to be enjoying the 3D recreation, even though an angel of his standing should jut be able to… go see them, right?
[DEATHCATCHERS ARE STRANGE. TRYING TO GIVE LOVE BUT CANNOT. THEY USUALLY HELP ME GET BLOOD.]
She laughed, the sound a trill from her voice box.
[YOU COULD KILL ME RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED– I AM A BAD FIGHTER. DEATHCATCHERS ARE EASIEST.]
Right, the war, he didn’t know if he should still hold humans accountable for such a folly at this current point in time, they were desperate after all, but…
“I only wish that The Final War had been nothing more than a cruel joke… a Goddamn nightmare… but this hologram is all I need to see… to know that it was real…”
While silently mourning the loss of so much, he overheard the word “Deathcatcher” and immediately turned to you again, what were those monstrosities, truly?
“I see, guess that makes sense, an endless supply of blood would definitely do you well and- wait, kill you? Machine… I won’t do that, especially not after you decided to show me the stars in the form of a hologram.”
VB shrugged slightly. It was hard to form an opinion on the Final War– It wasn’t around to see any of it, and it was created as a result of the New Peace, which wouldn’t have happened if the War hadn’t, so…. VB kind of had the war to thank for its life. But she understood where Michael, who had seen it, was coming from.
[I WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT IT. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE WAR. I WISH IT HAD NOT HAPPENED, BUT I LIKE... BEING ALIVE.]
Perhaps that made her selfish, but if it did, then she was an incredibly selfish machine. She trilled a laugh when Michael was shocked at her words, clicking her skates out and skating circles around him.
[I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT. BUT YOU COULD IS WHAT I AM SAYING. YOU ARE GOOD FIGHTER– I AM NOT.]
Michael knew he couldn’t argue with that logic, you had every right to say such things, and who was he to judge or take that away from you?
“I can’t dismiss your logic here… VB… even with very differing viewpoints, I know damn well that a machine such as yourself has every right to live. Especially since you aren’t out for blood currently.”
He scoffed slightly at seeing you skate around him, your laugh did annoy him just a bit, but he wasn’t going to take away your fun
“Well, you’d better believe I’m one Hell of a fighter! Despite being known as God’s Wisdom. Oh how I wish I wasn’t always trapped here, I need to blow off some steam!”
VB seemed to physically brush off the talk of the war, twitching their wings a few times as they skated around. They seemed glad for an opening to change the topic.
[I RUN ON LOW FUEL– DON’T GET BLOOD OFTEN. MOVING FASTER EXPENDS MORE ENERGY, BUT–]
It was clear they didn’t have the ability to move slowly, even if it drained fuel quicker. It tilted its head at Michael’s mention of being stuck– could he not just leave?
[POP DOWN TO HELL THEN? GO FIGHT AND COME BACK AFTER?]
She had snuck into Heaven so easily, it’d probably be easy to sneak back out.
Michael understands now, it makes much more sense to him, but at the same time… he couldn’t help but feel bad for you
“VB, what are your current fuel levels? I’m sure it took a lot of energy to get up here in the first place after all. Don’t hide it from me.”
Upon hearing you suggest the idea of him going to Hell to let off some steam, he paused… why didn’t he do that? What was holding him back? Oh right…
“As much as I’d love to fuck up some demons, just a bit… there’s something that I need to continue researching… it’s gonna drive me insane if I don’t…”
Michael crossed his arms, not satisfied with the response he got in regard to your fuel levels, sure he didn’t interact with machines often but… he wasn’t going to let you lose power here
“Yeah, no, that’s not good enough, VB. Your levels are too damn low, I won’t have you dying of starvation here.”
Sighing, he reached behind his desk and pulled out a small knife, then, without hesitation, he sliced his left palm open and offered it to you, he hadn’t done this before
“Go ahead, consider this a blessing… plus this is my first time ever feeding a machine to begin with. As for your offer… I guess you can help? The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find anything here… it’s frustrating.”
VB tried to protest as Michael moved, following him around on her skates.
[15% IS NORMAL FOR ME– USUALLY ONLY REFUEL TO 30% ANYWAYS AND IT IS ONLY CRITICAL WHEN ITS UNDER 5%–]
She stops short when Michael is–
Bleeding–
Her optic refocuses loudly.
She rechecks her fuel levels, she shouldn't be this... unstable.... at a little blood–
FUEL GAUGE: 1%
Oh. She had misread it.
Her hand moves to her arm, scrambling to open the panel that allows her to feed, get the stupid needles that she had to uncap, fuck–
It was a lot of fumbling but eventually she managed to get set up, inserting the needle into where Michael had cut his hand, visibly relaxing when the blood got into her system. He didn’t need to know VB had read the gauge wrong.
[WwWWHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?]
His voice glitched out slightly as he spoke, wincing.
Michael reaches his right hand over and gently pats your head, he could sense something was very off with you, I mean, he is God’s Wisdom after all
“VB, just let yourself refuel to 100%, considering how quickly you burn through it, I’d rather not have to keep slicing my hand. But I’m glad I caught on before it was too late.”
He leaned back slightly in his chair, everything you were doing didn’t phase him at all, its like he couldn’t even feel it, not that it was an issue or anything
“What I’m looking for are documents that Heaven seemed to have erased from existence… there’s this group called “The Watchers”… the name rings a familiar bell but… I can’t remember… and… it’s driving me insane… how did they get rid of the documents here..?!”
VB trilled at the head pat, clearly enjoying the contact, but squirmed at Michael’s suggestion. It hadn’t been at full since….
DATA QUERY: TIME SINCE FUEL AT 100%
….
RETURN: 2147483647 HOURS
Well that was unhelpful. Who decided to use an int value for that stat–?
Whatever.
It had been a long time.
[I DO NOT NEED TO HAVE MY FUEL AT 100%, IT IS FINE TRULY–]
It didn’t want to take too much from Michael, clearly antsy to stop feeding even though it just started. He bounced his leg, squirming, truly not able to sit still.
[I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM– THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING FROM HEAVEN?]
Michael couldn’t help but be amused by the sound you made, machines truly were interesting to him, and you were just one of many examples of that
“VB, I insist, fill up to full, there’s no harm nor foul in doing so, plus it doesn’t hurt me. I’m a big ass angel, you don’t need to worry about me losing blood, alright?”
He sighed and glanced off to the side, the documents and books weren’t the only things that were missing, so much more was, and it frustrated him
“It’s… not just the documents… books are also missing along with… my memories regarding them… I can’t remember who they are or… were… but the name rings a feint bell..! I wouldn’t be surprised if Heaven erased my memory…”
VB almost whined, the unhappy sound coming from somewhere in her machinery, not wanting to fuel to 100%. It made her feel weird, the idea of sitting still long enough to fuel to 100%, as if it was against her very programming to stay still for that long. Their fingers tapped along the plating on their thigh rhythmically.
[...I DO NOT LIKE SITTING STILL FOR THAT LONG. 50% IS FINE.]
Maybe he could negotiate with Michael, a fuel level higher than his usual, but still not full, so he could move quicker, and take less. She wanted to move, wanted to go and research, wanted to look at what Michael was talking about.
[HUH. EVERYTHING IS GONE? MEMORIES AND DOCUMENTS?]
He thought for a moment, clicking open a panel and shutting it repeatedly on his thigh absently.
Michael could completely understand where you were coming from with that, even though he wasn’t feeling lightheaded at all, you still had the final say in all of this after all
“Alright, VB, if 50% truly is enough for you, then I won’t keep you sitting still any longer like an ignorant dumbass. But remember that you can always come to me for blood. It’s a non issues.”
The eldest of the Archangels looks up, he wouldn’t be surprised if many angels had completely forgotten who the watchers were, it couldn’t be just him, that wouldn’t make sense
“I feel as though any and all memories regarding them have been completely erased from the minds of everyone in Heaven… they’re trying to hide something. And it’s driving me insane because I should know these things! But no… I don’t… and I hate that so much!”
VB chirped happily, visibly relaxing at the prospect of not having to refuel all the way to 100%. He swung his legs back and forth.
[THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN– DO I NOT HAVE TO SNEAK IN NEXT TIME?]
His mechanical tone almost sounded joking, teasing, the bottom shutter of his optic raising in a smile as his wings twitched slightly.
As she refuelled, she thought further about what Michael was saying. His memories were erased, and so were those of angels in Heaven... but there was a much... looser control on things like that in Hell. It would be difficult for anyone to remove all traces of information in Hell itself.
[HAVE YOU TRIED THE LUST LIBRARIES INSTEAD? SOMEWHERE NOT IN HEAVEN?]
Michael once again couldn’t help but chuckle, you truly were both simple minded but also complex, he couldn’t help but find machines interesting, and, he no longer saw them as a threat
“As long as you only come to the Heavenly archive room, VB, I’ll be your damn blood bank. Just… try not to get caught by anyone on the way, ok? Don’t want you getting destroyed.”
At the mention of visiting Hell, especially the Lust layer to try and find more information on the watchers, the eldest of the Archangels was surprised that he didn’t think of that beforehand
“You… bring up a very good point there! Heaven can only erase the memories and texts of those who reside here! But, in Hell… there’s no way they can erase anything there! Smart thinking, VB!”
VB's optic closed entirely, and he made a sound that was similar to a laugh, shoulders shaking to imitate the human motion.
[I AM GOING TO GET CAUGHT BY EVERYONE. TALK TO EVERY ANGEL IN MY PATH. FOR FUN.]
He was clearly being sarcastic, though his tone didn't carry it very well, as flat as it was. His wings twitched slightly at the praise from Michael, glad he could be of some help.
[THE LUST LIBRARIES HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION. NEED TO GO WITH SOMEONE, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL BE ATTACKED.]
She... knew Michael would not be the most welcome in Hell, as visibly angelic as he was. He would probably get attacked before getting anywhere near the city center, which VB didn't want to happen.
Michael did his best to hold back a laugh, he knew you were being sarcastic, but the very idea of you doing everything to get caught by every angel in Heaven just… it was hilarious to imagine
“Sorry, it’s just- the fucking image of you doing that is so hilarious to me, VB! Oh, I know they’d struggle to catch you! Hahaha!”
After laughing again, the eldest of the Archangels thought on what you said, sure he was very intimidating, even Heavenly beings knew better than to fuck with him, but in Hell? The rules were different
“Hmm… you make very good points there… and I can’t risk an ambush… not with all the things currently clouding my mind… y’know what? Fuck it, you can take me there. I don’t mind one bit, VB.”
VB swung his legs back and forth once more, clicking his skates in and out as he continued smiling, optic shutting for a moment.
[THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ME. I AM FASTER ON WHEELS THAN THEY CAN FLY.]
She was glad to make Michael laugh– it made her feel like she was doing a good job somehow. With mention of going to the Lust library, she jumped up, accidentally pulling the needle out of Michael's hand and leaving it dangle out of the port on her arm.
FUEL GAUGE: 43%
Close enough.
They haphazardly shoved the tubes back into their arm, shutting the panel with a resounding click before skating back towards the entrance of the archives.
[WE CAN GO NOW– LESS CHANCE FOR AN AMBUSH DURING THE DAY.]
Frankly, as long as Michael was with VB, no one would touch him. Watch him, perhaps, but not outright attack him.
Michael had seen just how fast you truly were, only the Archangels could keep up with you, no other Heavenly being had it in them, this much he knew for a fact
“They’d definitely have a hard time catching you, VB, I’ve seen how fucking fast you are. Honestly, only us Archangels can keep up, but, we mean you no harm, machines don’t concern us anymore.”
The feeling of the needle being suddenly pulled out from his wrist caused Michael to wince slightly, it didn’t hurt, it just caught him off guard, sighing, he got up as well
“Alright, you’ve got a point, lead the way, VB. Though… would it be faster if I teleported us down to the Lust layer? I can do that with ease, but it’s completely up to you.”
VB made a mechanical humming sound, shifting his weight back and forth between his skates quickly. It… would be faster for Michael to teleport them there. His fuel gauge was higher than it had been in awhile, though…
She quickly glanced over Michael once more. How fast could he move…?
…They’d get to Lust in no time moving at full speed.
He took off like a shot, using the boosters in his legs to skate as fast as possible out of the archive room, sliding and bouncing and gliding to gain momentum, and keep it.
They shouted over their shoulder as they moved, assuming Michael was right behind them.
A smirk formed on Michael’s face, although you couldn’t see it due to the darkness that shrouded it, he always loved a challenge, and well… this was definitely one of many
“So it’s a race you want, huh VB? Heh, well… it’s a race you’re gonna fucking get! Be ready! Cause I’m not gonna let you win that easily!”
Exhaling, he got up, stretched, and immediately took off running after you, despite his buff stature, Michael was pretty quick, he was able to keep up with Gabriel after all, and before you knew it, he was right beside you
“This is hardly a challenge, VB! C’mon! You gotta give me something more! Show me what you were made for! I may be muscular… but don’t underestimate me!”
VB was trilling and chirping as it skated, clearly having a ton of fun as it gained as much momentum as possible. It was moving incredibly fast, but it was still glancing over its shoulder periodically, seeing Michael catch up easily.
[YOU WILL REGRET THAT!]
VB decided right then that he wasn't going to be looking over his shoulder anymore, instead creating a small explosion from his feet, propelling him forward and off of a wall, the bounce into the skating giving him enough momentum to absolutely be dangerous if he ran into something.
She took the path that was harder to navigate, but with lots of little spaces for her to slide through, spaces that she knew would be harder to navigate for Michael. Her slides barely lost any momentum, especially since she went right back into skating afterwards.
Michael’s smirk never faltered, no matter how fast you skated around, he still managed to keep up, he knew the halls of Heaven like the backs of his four hands after all, so of course he wasn’t gonna let you get away that easily
“Think you can get away that easily VB? Haha! Oh you’re SORELY mistaken! Ready or not… here I fucking come!!”
The eldest of the Archangels jumped up and took to the skies with ease, his barely visible orange wings casting a consistent glow on everything in his vicinity, even while flying, his speed didn’t diminish
“Haha! Oh, I can’t remember the last time I took flight like this! And don’t think I can’t see you, VB! You can’t outmaneuver me THAT easily!”
VB was at a disadvantage, at least until they hit the mouth of Hell, it had never been in Heaven before and Michael had been here his whole life. It needed terrain that couldn't be flown over, or through, without more challenges, something that was made to be navigated on foot instead of in the air–
Or maybe something else, a way to trick Michael, perhaps? One thing was clear, it needed time to get ahead, and win.
There was a large group of angels gathered around something in the distance, angels that were notably larger than VB itself, and a plan started to form. It quickly shuffled through its database, pulling up the model of itself, before skating into the crowd.
Two identical copies of VB skated back out from it, causing a great commotion among the angels around it, and took off in opposite directions.
Michael didn’t slow down in his pursuit, not even when the large group of angels below called out to him, he didn’t have time, plus they probably either wanted to chat up a storm or question everything, he wasn’t in the mood for it
“You really think that’s gonna be enough to stop me, VB?! Haha! Oh, it’s cute how much you underestimate me!”
With the sol behind him still brightly illuminated, he flew faster, nearly gliding at this point, the eldest of the Archangels was not only having fun, but also making sure to keep you on his radar at all times, you wouldn’t be the victor in this!
“Don’t forget, VB! I’m God’s Wisdom! Such a trick won’t be enough to throw me off your path! I know where you are! Which one is the real you! There’s no fucking escape! Haha!”
VB trilled loudly, clearly not upset over Michael immediately clocking his location, and clocking his trick. He had nothing else other than making it to the mouth of Hell, where he was more familiar with the terrain, and all of its shortcuts.
[YOU ARE FAST!!!]
She sounded incredibly pleased with that statement, pleased that someone could keep up with her reliably even in a silly race. She slid the rest of the way out of Heaven, launching herself fully towards the mouth of Hell, a jump and fall that was nothing short of terrifying, but VB didn’t even think twice, just launching herself fully.
Michael didn’t think twice and dove in after you, he was no stranger to Hell after all, he just… rarely visits it, not because he’s afraid, but because the need never really presented itself, the lowest he’d ever gone was Heresy truth be told
“You think Hell’s enough to stop me, VB?! I think fucking not! Hahaha! Keep running! Let’s see how long we can keep this up!”
The eldest of the Archangels truly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun, well… aside from when… he and his brothers were younger, and… when he and Phanuel… he shook his head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and focused on you instead
“You’d be surprised by just how fast I can go, VB! What do you say, wanna pick up the pace? I’d be more than happy to! Hahaha!”
VB did keep running, skating as fast as he possibly could. Hell was where he thrived, knowing all the shortcuts and incredibly narrow passageways in the rooms that Michael would struggle through.
[HELL IS FULL OF SMALL SPACES– GOOD LUCK!!!]
VB itself was small, and that was an intentional design, made to fit into small spaces with the intent of gathering samples. That also meant that it could absolutely fly through crevasses in the walls that were not as easily doable for bigger people, or bigger angels.
She used the boosters in her legs regularly, just to gain that little bit of speed against Michael, knowing the second they were out of a small space, he would catch up to her immediately. She was chirping and trilling the entire time they were racing, having so much fun.
Michael fully took on this challenge, of course you thought that small spaces would slow him down, well… you’ve severely underestimated this Archangel, sure, he’s bulky in terms of muscle, but that didn’t mean he was a stranger to such things
“Oh, how you underestimate me, VB! I can do this for fucking hours! Do you honestly think small spaces are enough to slow me down?! Well… you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The eldest of the Archangels continued to give chase, making sure to keep his arms and legs fully pinned together, letting only his wings do what they needed to do while continuing to increase his speed, he’d traverse Hell just like the halls of Heaven, nothing was new to him
“Hahaha! I can tell you’re having fun with this! Let’s keep it up! Cause I’m FAR from being done! I’ve still got you in my sights, VB!”
VB happened to glance over her shoulder, trilling loudly at just how close Michael was behind her, especially as they entered Limbo with much more wide open spaces, nothing she could use to try and trick or deter him.
All he could do was skate, skate as fast as he physically could, skate so quickly it absolutely shredded through his fuel supply, but he was entirely uncaring about that, as long as he still beat Michael in the race. He used every available speed boost in his arsenal, yet it still seemed as if Michael had no problems keeping up.
It was close though, uncomfortably close as they entered the streets of Lust, VB being forced to kick off the walls of buildings to dodge the few people still wandering around this late at night, Michael hot on their heels. VB skid through the streets, aiming right at the city center, and at the incredibly large library. They took a sharp turn, absolutely crashing through the door and skating into a table, the items cascading around them. They popped their head up for the rubble as Michael entered the door immediately after.
[YOU ARE REALLY FAST!!!!!!!! THAT WAS SO FUN!!!!!!!!]
It let itself lay back into the mess it created, laughing mechanically with its optic shut, wings clicking happily.
Michael quickly landed in front of you, not at all out of breath, he seemed both amused and slightly concerned upon seeing you pop your head out of the mess you made, there was just something so… childish yet familiar about it
“Damn, VB! I didn’t expect you to crash like that! Hope you didn’t break anything vital, cause that didn’t look fun, unless you enjoy crashing into objects. Which, I’m not one to judge!”
The eldest of the Archangels held back a chuckle before holding out his right hand, offering to help you up, this entire situation really did remind him of when he and his brothers would goof off in Heaven, eons ago
“Welp, since we’re here, grab on, I’ll help you up, you klutz. I swear… you’re quite the entertaining beast, you know that, VB? But yeah, this was fun! I haven’t done something like that in eons!”
VB wasn’t phased by the crash– they crashed into stuff all the time! It was just a byproduct of moving as fast as they did, sometimes, they would miscalculate where they needed to be, and crash into something. They had repaired more chips in their paint than they could count because of it.
[I AM OKAY– USED TO IT!]
He accepted the hand up, nearly being thrown to his feet by accident. He was quite small, and Michael was quite strong. He chirped anyways, glancing around the library for a moment before righting the table, and fixing the mess he made.
[YOU ARE VERY FAST, THAT WAS FUN!!!! WE SHOULD DO A RACE THROUGH ALL OF HELL, TOP TO BOTTOM. SEE WHO WINS!]
VB had always wanted to do a full race, she had heard other machines talk about it. It sounded exhilarating. Once the mess was cleaned up, she glanced back up at Michael, sweeping an arm out behind her. The library was entirely empty at this hour.
[WELCOME TO THE LUST LAYER CENTRAL LIBRARY!!! HOME TO BOOKS AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS GALORE.]
Michael couldn’t help but find your response amusing, a machine that’s so used to crashing into things… it honestly shouldn’t surprise him at this point, but he couldn’t deny that witnessing your complete lack of self control was just so interesting to him
“You truly are one of a kind, VB. I don’t think I’ve ever met a machine as intriguing as you, fuck… I just might take you up on that offer as well! I haven’t really gotten the chance to spread my wings and take flight like this in a long time!”
The eldest of the Archangels then turned his attention to the massive library, it honestly surprised him to see so many manuscripts, books, and… even some tomes! Some of these things looked like they belonged in the Tower of Babel! How they ended up in Hell, he’ll never know
“Hm, I must say, this is a very interesting and surprising amount of material… a few of these look like they came straight out of the Tower of Babel! Which I didn’t think was possible, impressive!”
VB's wings clicked a few times back and forth, clearly pleased with the praise. There was probably something buried in its programing that made it fond of praise, but VB was more a mechanics person, not digging around in its internal code very much.
[YOU SHOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT– GET OUT OF HEAVEN FOR AWHILE.]
Michael did seem like he needed a break from the stressors of Heaven. If he ever wanted to be in Hell instead, even just for a bit, as long as VB was tailing him he'd... probably go without being bothered. Probably.
VB was intimately familiar with the library– it had spent many times bouncing between the shelves, scanning through data and updating its internal database. It didn't seem to match the atmosphere, a chaotic machine like itself, but it loved the data.
[THERE IS A LOT HERE– KING MINOS CARES A LOT ABOUT KEEPING IT WELL PRESERVED. LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING.]
Michael thinks on your offer while also looking over rows of shelves, so many things here, he just couldn’t believe that they even existed in Hell to begin with, a pleasant surprise, one he welcomed with two sets of open arms
“I definitely will take you up on that offer, VB. It’s as you surmised, I’ve been stuck in Heaven, stressing out, for far too long now… being able to spread my wings and just let loose, fuck around, would be of great benefit.”
As the eldest of the Archangels spoke, he seemed to find a shelf that caught his attention, one that was filled with tomes, definitely from the Tower of Babel, he could tell just by the way they looked, and Michael hadn’t forgotten his original reason for being here, he needed that info
“Honestly, knowing King Minos, that doesn’t surprise me one bit. He always wants what’s best for everyone, I truly do admire his passion for keeping records, and… I’ve always felt horribly guilty… all of us Archangels do… he didn’t deserve that fate…”
VB’s wings perked up, and he made a happy trilling sound. He couldn’t wait to race Michael through Hell, he’d need to plan and try to find something to slow him down so that VB could win this time.
[GOOD. IT’LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. WE’RE ON!!!!]
She skated by Michael’s side as he looked over all the books. VB would break off on her own, but Michael already seemed to be drawn to the heavy tomes, and she was curious as to why. She hadn’t scanned that particular shelf before, it had never caught her eye other than being noted as old.
They looked slightly confused at mention of Minos’ fate, internal mechanisms clicking for a moment before processing what Michael meant by that.
[OH– YOU MEAN THE DEATH OF KING MINOS?]
He forgot that the kings die, he had learned it in other universes he hopped around to, but it wasn’t yet relevant information in his home universe, so he often didn’t really think about it.
[IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE YET. I FORGOT IT HAS HAPPENED IN MOST PLACES. IT IS STRANGE TO THINK HE COULD DIE.]
Michael turns to you, a sly smirk on his darkness shrouded face, he always loved challenges like this, it gave him a chance to spread his wings and truly let loose after such a long time of being indoors, he truly needed these things
“Haha! Oh I sure as Hell hope so, VB! Scheme all you want, there’s no outrunning me! As I’m sure you were able to see on our descent! No matter what you do, nothing will-“
He paused, Minos hadn’t died yet? How is such a thing possible? He saw both Gabriel and Seraph do it, so… that’s when it clicked in the mind of the eldest of the Archangels, a different universe… one where Minos, and by proxy, Sisyphus, had yet to die… he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang in his heart… you had yet to experience… everything…
“I see… VB, when… the inevitable fall of Lust does occur in your universe… although I know many will try to prevent it… I can only hope that they succeed this time around… feel free to seek me out for asylum… I’ll be there for you, no matter what, ok?”
VB looked at Michael carefully. He hadn’t interacted with anyone from a different universe than his own who seemed… upset about the death of Minos. Especially not an archangel like Michael. The shutters of his optic squinted slightly.
[WHY ARE YOU UPSET– DIDN’T HEAVEN CALL FOR HIS DEATH?]
That seemed to be the general consensus in other universes, at least. Minos would be killed on order from the Council, he’d be imprisoned, and his soul would form a prime soul, meaning he didn’t really die.
[IT SEEMS TO BE AN EVENT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, NOT SOMETHING PREVENTABLE. THOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFER, YOU ARE… VERY KIND.]
Its internal mechanisms made a few strange clicking sounds, a little flustered at how kind Michael was, considering VB had just met him.
Michael looks down, yes, the death of Minos was ordered by Heaven… but unfortunately you didn’t know the half of it… how so many of them tried to change the minds of… them… but nothing worked… it was always the same song and dance…
“Heaven did call for his death, VB, but… we tried so hard to fight back against The Council… those fuckers are so corrupt… they never listen to reason… they don’t care… Gabriel had no choice… they threatened him severely if he didn’t…”
The eldest of the Archangels let out a sigh as he tried to think of something else, but he just couldn’t, that event… there had to be some way to prevent it from happening once more… Minos didn’t deserve his fate… he deserved to live… same with Sisyphus…
“I’ll find a way to prevent it, VB… I don’t care what it takes… King Minos along with King Sisyphus deserve to live… in your dimension… their fates can be changed..! And… thank you, for the compliment, I appreciate it..!”
VB made a few small whirring sounds as he processed the information. The idea that many of the angels are actually against the Council changed… a lot in his database. It recontextualized quite a lot of actions.
[I THOUGHT THAT THE ANGELS LIKED THE COUNCIL– DO THEY NOT?]
Now he was incredibly curious about the politics of Heaven– he didn’t really talk to angels all that much, and especially not an archangel like Michael. He stepped closer, clicking his roller skates on and off. The deaths of Minos and Sisyphus were… admittedly not as big a deal to VB. He didn’t get the fuss if they’d just come back anyways.
[THEY COME BACK TO LIFE THOUGH. THEIR DEATH IS NOT A CHANGEABLE EVENT BUT NEITHER IS THEIR REBIRTH.]
If they would be reborn anyways, why was Michael so concerned about them dying in this world?
Michael knew he had to explain to you why so many in Heaven feared The Council… why they were worse than any and all demons he knew about… and why… their corruption had gone on for too long…
“It… may seem that way, VB, but… behind the scenes of what everyone sees, is nothing but horror… be it abuse… assault… cult like behavior… cannibalism… you name it… The Council is pure fucking evil… they make what takes place in Hell look like absolute paradise.”
At the mention of how the deaths and rebirths of both Minos and Sisyphus were all but inevitable events, the eldest of the Archangels took a breath, he knew this… and yet it still stung… horribly…
“The inevitably of both events can’t be avoided, I know but… that doesn’t mean that they deserve it… such things shouldn’t be decided on a whim… King Minos and King Sisyphus deserve to live… not suffer throughout every timeline… it’s… just not fair…”
VB’s lenses readjusted, making it look like his eye went wide. He… didn’t know that about the Council. It made a lot of sense, in hindsight, that they were a terrible group of people, but…
[WHY ARE THEY STILL IN POWER? YOU SAID CULT, BUT… YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR INFLUENCE, SURELY THERE ARE OTHERS TO HELP YOU OVERTHROW THEM?]
VB could…. help. It would probably be the last thing he ever did, but he’d be willing to try.
[I COULD HELP– BAD FIGHTER. BUT I COULD TRY.]
If what Michael said was true, VB wanted to help. They had to get rid of the Council so that the angels could have reform similar to that in Hell. It felt absurd that the layers of Hell had better government systems in place than… Heaven itself.
VB whirred slightly when Michael continued to talk. He… sounded incredibly guilty about their deaths, but VB didn’t understand still why. Sure, them not suffering would be great, but… they would still come back again. Perhaps VB didn’t need to understand why– they weren’t always the best with emotions.
[IF THE COUNCIL WAS GONE, PERHAPS THEY WOULDN’T DIE. NO ONE TO GIVE THE ORDER.]
Right… you didn’t know… Michael looked down, The Council… it didn’t matter what your ranking in Heaven was… be it lesser or Seraphim… they didn’t care… he hated it… so much… recalling everything… how the rot would never vanish…
“The Council… they don’t give two fucks about your ranking in Heaven… VB… it doesn’t matter if you’re a lesser angel or a Seraphim… they use and abuse you all the same… my brothers and I… even as Archangels… weren’t spared from their cruelty… we never were… and never will be…”
Upon hearing you not only bring up that you’d be willing to fight, but also how if The Council was gone, then Minos and Sisyphus wouldn’t die, such thoughts… the eldest of the Archangels wished they could become a reality, he truly did
“No matter how many times you kill them… they just keep reforming… the rot remains… an unending and disgusting cycle… a “holy” Ouroboros… King Minos and King Sisyphus… their deaths are all but assured in every timeline… and I hate it… so much…”
VB listened to everything Michael said intently, wings drooping down the longer he spoke. If there was seemingly no way to get rid of the Council, if their rule was an inevitable… how was any change ever supposed to be made? His systems whirred as he processed the information, trying to think of something to counter Michael, an idea to overthrow the Council entirely. He vented out air, sounding like a huffy sigh, when he couldn’t think of anything.
[…SORRY.]
It was all she could think to say, apologizing for the situation that Michael and the angels all seemed stuck in. It was a bizarre situation, that the angels had seemingly worse lives than those in Hell.
[DO YOU HAVE TO STAY IN HEAVEN? COULD YOU LEAVE?]
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but… if Michael and his siblings just moved to Hell instead, would that solve the problem? Or would the Council just extend their reach down here as well? They supposed it would be the latter, considering they had no problem killing both of the kings by proxy.
Michael could feel how much you wanted to find a solution for him and all the other angels that resided in Heaven… but what you didn’t account for was that some of the angels that resided there… were far from holy…
“I truly do still hold out a sliver of hope that things will change one day, VB, but… it’s been eons… and change has yet to come… Hell, there are some angels in Heaven who… don’t deserve to be there… those reprobates…”
The sol behind the eldest of the Archangels began to flicker as sparks fell to the floor, flammable, but luckily they didn’t ignite, he had control over them, for now at least… leaving Heaven for Hell… they tried once before… it… wasn’t pretty…
“Unfortunately me and my brothers can’t leave… At least not until Heaven completely falls apart… The Council’s reach is… horrifying… they’ll do anything and everything to ensure that we stay in line… like good little soldiers…”
VB was upset now, upset that there wasn’t a clear solution for her to give Michael that could help his situation. She didn’t want him to have to live under the thumb of the Council, it wasn’t fair. He deserved to live his life, far away from all of them. She was making an angry droning sound, clicking her skates on and off rapidly.
[IT IS NOT FAIR– YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THE COUNCIL PINNING YOU LIKE A BUG UNDER THEIR THUMB.]
They, unfortunately, were not surprised that all of Heaven’s angels were not, well, angels. With the Council as the ruling body of Heaven, it only made sense, that Heaven had angels that were… not the greatest. That only made them angrier, optic shutters narrowing into a squint as they continued to drone.
[HEAVEN IS STUPID. ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE NO BETTER THAN SINNERS IN HELL– WHAT IS THE POINT?]
There was no distinction in VB’s mind between the two– Heaven was just as bad. Especially with the more he head from Michael, he was certain that was the case.
Michael could easily tell just how upset you had become, and he couldn’t blame you… Heaven truly was worse than Hell… there wasn’t a way to argue against such a fact… especially when taken into account the most recent discoveries…
“I agree fully, VB, but… The Council won’t allow us to walk free… unless we want to experience abuse that’s far worse than what we endured before… those threats and scare tactics keep us in line…”
The eldest of the Archangels couldn’t help but think back to everything… it hurt him so much… he did all he could to ensure the safety of not only his brothers… but also those who truly didn’t deserve what was unleashed upon them…
“This information will frustrate you further, but… there are some angels that reside in Heaven who… think taking advantage of those who are weaker… more vulnerable… is perfectly fine and not a crime… two were recently killed… I aided in the death of one… he abused my daughter… but… one still remains… and he is beyond dangerous…”
VB just… didn’t understand. They didn’t understand, how could Heaven run successfully with a leadership model like the Council? What could they possibly do to keep an archangel like Michael in line? They supposed having angels that sided with them, that were just as terrible and manipulative as they were, probably helped bolster their control. Their wings were twitching with anger as they continued to make that droning, upset noise.
[ANGELS ARE NOT ABOVE ANYONE IN MORALITY– THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR HORRIBLE THINGS.]
It wasn’t enough. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the fact that there were angels so willing to take advantage of those weaker than them, it felt… opposite to everything she had read about angelic life. Though, she supposed, that was probably it. Readings were not equivalent to real life, lived experiences.
[I AM GLAD YOU AIDED IN THE DEATH OF ONE, BUT THE OTHER MUST DIE. LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.]
He was still stuck on that– he wanted the Council dead for Michael… even though it would probably spring back up in another form, at least it would be a respite from the hell.
Michael knew all too well what you meant, it frustrated him beyond belief… in Heaven, the angels were slaves to power… all the talk about righteousness was nothing but a front, there was nothing pure about Heaven…
“VB, at this point, The Council is above even The Father… he won’t be able to regain control of his own domain… they never stay dead… it’s so fucking disgusting…”
The eldest of the Archangels felt a bit of pride upon hearing you praise him for aiding in the death of Graphiel, but he understood why the other one… why he needed to die as well… but with all the info he now had… such a task would be…
“Thank you, for your praise, I appreciate it, however… killing the other one… from what I was able to gather… it’s practically impossible… he’s a fallen Seraphim… the highest ranking angel just below The Father… Seraphim are extremely hard to kill…”
VB didn’t like any of that information. He wasn’t a big follower of God or anything, but it… didn’t seem possible that he would be overpowered by the Council on his return. That… wasn’t how Heaven was supposed to work, it didn’t make any sense.
The more Michael talked about Heaven, and the angels in it, the more thankful VB became that they weren’t angelic in the slightest. Fuck that.
[PERHAPS OVERTHROWING THE COUNCIL RIGHT AFTER THE RETURN OF GOD WOULD DO IT. WEAKEN THEN ENOUGH TO GET RID ENTIRELY.]
It probably wouldn’t work, especially considering the angels that Michael said resided in Heaven. And that some of them couldn’t be killed… it was absolutely infuriating. VB glanced around the library for a moment. Maybe Michael just… hadn’t found how to kill a Seraphim yet. Maybe his answer was hidden somewhere in the extensive library, tucked away among all the other books.
[BUT THEY ARE KILLABLE. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HOW.]
Michael moves to scan over more books while still speaking, none of them seem to catch his interest, almost like the information within said texts were things he already knew… there has to be something here… right..?
“The thing is, VB… we’re scared to try anything against The Council… especially after all they’ve done to us… and uprising just feels like the quickest path to more suffering…”
The eldest of the Archangels sighed to himself, was it really possible to kill a Seraphim..? He knows how indestructible they are due to one of his brothers literally being one… they regenerate faster than most angels… it just… didn’t seem possible to him…
“I just can’t see any known ways to kill a Seraphim… I have a brother who’s one… The Council did all they could to try and completely tear him down… nearly succeeded too… but still he rose from the ashes, broken, battered, and traumatized, yes… but he didn’t die… Seraphim are near indestructible…”
VB deflated slightly, wings drooping down. They didn’t like when there wasn’t a clear solution to a problem. Usually, enough research could get them to something usable, but it felt as though Michael had already exhausted all avenues when it came to removing the Council. It just seemed… wrong.
[…UNDERSTOOD. I STILL… WISH YOU COULD REMOVE THEM.]
Maybe she’d find something in these books that could help overthrow the Council. Or find something information as to how to kill a seraphim. Michael said they were near invincible.
…VB knew enough machines designed for war to know that near invincible was definitely not the same thing as invincible. Seraphim could be killed. It was just a matter of how.
[WE JUST NEED TO FIND A WAY. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– THEY CAN DIE. IF THEY ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT, IT WILL JUST TAKE MORE TIME AND MORE POWER.]
VB started pulling random books off the shelves, scanning through them at breakneck speeds like with the archives before, looking for any relevant information.
Michael grabs a book that seemed to be gold plated and pulled it out before opening it to read, or at least look over the texts for any helpful information, he knew books like these were definitely important
“It’s just the fact that when we kill The Council, VB, a whole new wave revives it… if we truly wanted to exterminate the entire thing, it would require a mass genocide in Heaven… and… we can’t have that…”
The eldest of the Archangels suddenly winced when he realized what book he had picked up, the sol behind him flickering, he failed to look at the title… it was a full retelling of the Book of Enoch… and just laying eyes on said text made him nauseous
“More power, right… if only Archangels were above Seraphim or at least equal in power to them… then maybe we’d actually stand a fucking chance..! But no… they’re the closest angels to The Father, I wouldn’t be surprised if trying to kill one injures him too…”
VB vented a sigh through her vents. Michael was right– killing a large amount of angels just to remove the Council entirely wasn’t feasible. Or good for Heaven as a whole. It still bothered her, though, continuing to flip through and put back more books. Perhaps she would come up with another solution with something from her personal database later.
He continued to listen to Michael talk, squinting once more when he heard about Seraphim. It just… didn’t make sense. They weren’t invincible, all angels could die, it was just a matter of how, no matter how strong they were, or how close to God.
[ARCHANGELS HAVE TRIED– HAVE WARMACHINES? SAME RESULT?]
Perhaps an angel was not strong enough, but something built for the war could? It was probably a long shot, or a silly question, but VB was trying to exhaust all potential options. There had to be something that Michael was missing, some way to complete the task at hand. VB was certain of it.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
The soft hum of the white noise filled the room, the artificial chirp of crickets and the synthetic rush of water accompanying it. It was...soothing, to say the least. And it prevented silence. They hated silence.
But part of them was still on edge, constantly eyeing the doors to stay on alert, their body still somewhat tense, even as VB lay limp against their side. V-X didn't know how long the other machine needed to sleep, but part of her hoped it wouldn't be too long. Though deep down she knew that wasn't the case.
It was along time before VB showed any signs of stirring. He hadn’t gone into sleep mode in longer than he could remember, he needed the rest for his chronically underfuelled systems.
It started slow. A small change in the white noise, crickets and rain fading out into the gentle sounds of a farm, of grass crunching and animals grazing in the early morning hours. Then, small movements from VB once more, a wing blade twitch here, a finger twitch there, body moving to curl into V-X further.
Their optic slid open part of the way as a rooster crowed, lights coming back to about 75%. Not fully awake, but getting there.
[…V-X?]
Her optic slowly slid down to their hands, snuggling closer with a puff of air from her vents. V-X had stayed. They had protected her. Her fans kicked on incredibly loud and damning, all of her body and wing lights shifting towards a pink color instead of her usual red.
VB…. wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here. But there were so many archives, she was practically buzzing with happiness, skating around the room and scanning everything they came across. It was not being the most... attentive, not exactly paying attention to anyone else entering the room...
-@fromthe-very-beginning
“..?”
Michael looks up from his planner, he could hear the skating noise all the way from his makeshift office
“Oh for fucks sake… what now? Who could possibly think skating in here is a good idea?!”
He gets up and walks out to the main hall of the archive room, muttering things under his breath that many would consider carnal sins
“Hey! Mind cutting that the fuck out?! How the Hell did you even get in here?! Goddamn… is it really that hard to ask for my permission before entering?!”
VB startled, moving at such high speeds that it crashed fully into one of the shelves, sending archives tumbling down around herself as she sprawled out on the ground, retracting their skates quickly. It took a few moments for him to regain his bearings, peeking up at the angel.
[SORRY...]
It popped up, trying to creep close enough to scan the angel, lenses clicking into place quickly, abandoning the mess they made on the floor. He'd clean it up later, once it had scanned everything in the pile.
Michael’s orange wings droop slightly, he’s annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this whole situation
“Another machine… how in the Hell did you get up here? Never mind that… mind explaining why the fuck you were skating around so haphazardly?!”
His upper arms were already crossed, right foot tapping against the floor to show impatience
“The Heavenly archive room holds many texts and documents that can’t be found elsewhere, so you best hope none of the ones you knocked over are damaged, machine…”
VB moved a little bit closer, seemingly not worried about the angel's clear irritation. Once it got within range, they stood still until the scan was complete.
[SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME!!! NEED TO MOVE FAST–]
The scan completed, and she was off again, projecting the scan of Michael on the ground next to him, the hologram spinning around slowly, while they shuffled through the archives for ones that hadn't been scanned yet. It found one, holding it up victoriously, and began scanning it.
VB moved through its scan, quickly putting the archive up onto the shelf before moving to another one, letting the hologram continue to spin absentmindedly next to it.
[NEED TO READ AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I AM KICKED OUT]
She didn't look back at Michael, continuing to talk as they scanned. The hologram of Michael did a little dance.
[HOLOGRAM!!! I SCANNED YOU INTO MY DATABASE.]
It flipped its head around perfectly 180 degrees to look back at Michael.
He just watches in complete shock as you scan through each archive with impressive speeds
“I’m not gonna kick you out, machine, Christ on high… you can slow the fuck down now!”
Michael side eyes the hologram, completely unnerved by it
“Right… and you’re making it… dance..? Fucking Hell… and here I thought I’d seen it all! Why did you project it in the first place..?! And- that question you just asked is completely irrelevant! You don’t need to know that!”
VB only slowed slightly down on scanning the archives, still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed that was just her default state. The machine continued to make the hologram dance for a moment, before it disappeared entirely.
[WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. ISN'T IT COOL???]
It skated back over to Michael, holding out their hand. In it, a small hologram of Michael rested, curled up like a cat, sleeping.
[VERSATILE. MANY USES.]
He chirped a few times, skating quickly back over to the archives.
The eldest of the Archangels was definitely relived to see you slow down, even if it wasn’t all the way, he’d take anything at this point
“Right… sorry, I’m just not used to such… technology? And- why the fuck is it sleeping like a cat now..?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re making a fucking mockery of me..!”
He sighs, doing all that he can to keep himself from losing his mind
“I- yes… it’s an alcoholic beverage… why do you want to know so badly? I don’t believe it’s safe for a machine to drink such things, especially if you run on blood of all fucking substances.”
[NOT MOCKING. IMPORTANT! YOU ARE IN MY DATABASE NOW.]
It flipped its head back around to continue scanning records. It was clear that he only scanned things that were deemed important, which…. coincidentally happened to be everything.
[HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?]
He honestly was just incredibly curious, even if the information was entirely irrelevant to itself.
He didn’t even know how to properly process all of this, and seeing you scan over literally everything wasn’t helping his confusion
“Why… am I in your database now..? What’s the fucking purpose of that..?! I’m just… so Goddamn confused now… all this tech talk is making my head spin…”
Hearing the genuine curiosity in your voice regarding beer, how it’s made, and how it tastes, he perks up slightly
“Well… beer can be made through a multitude of ways, but all you really need is boiling water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. Those are the key ingredients. As for how it tastes… it can be pretty damn bitter but also sweet depending on the ingredients.”
VB was perfectly still as it scanned, seemingly the only thing that stopped the machine from moving around constantly. She wanted to make sure that the scan was clear, and she didn't have to redo it once it was complete.
[IN DATABASE– I KNOW YOU NOW! YOU ARE...]
It trailed off, realizing that there were blanks in the entry.
[WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I AM VB!]
It tapped its chest where the engraving was, not fully realizing that it was facing away from Michael.
She listened carefully as Michael explained beer, opening a new database entry and making mental notes about the drink.
[WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT? BITTER AND SWEET ARE OPPOSITES, YES?]
Despite being even more confused than before, he decides to play along with this, not wanting to cause anything else
“I guess that makes sense? Wait… you don’t know my damn name?! I’m the Archangel Michael! How in the fuck- ah, never mind… it’s good to meet you, VB.”
Upon hearing you question why beer can be both bitter and sweet, he sighs quietly
“Like I said, it all depends on the ingredients, even though bitter and sweet contrast each other in theory. Mixed together the correct way, especially in an alcoholic drink, they just work so fucking well together.”
When VB heard the archangel's name, it paused for a split second, going through every instance of [ARCHANGEL MICHAEL] in its database. It perked up when it found what it was looking for, glancing back at Michael.
[ARCHANGEL MICHAEL! FROM THE BIBLE! I HAVE CREATED THE CONNECTION.]
She had read the Old and New Testaments during her limited time on Earth, scanning them all into her database. It was nice to put a "face to the name", as is said.
His voice box made a little musical droning sound, clearly a hum as he thought about all he was learning about beer.
[HM. LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES TASTING DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING ALL BLOOD? DEMON VS DIVINE, ETC?]
He couldn’t help but observe with growing intrigue, even though machines annoyed him, you were definitely something different
“Yes, that’s me, I’m honestly shocked that you didn’t save such valuable information, VB. But then again… you probably have a lot on your damn mind, so who am I to judge?”
Hearing you compare the different tastes of beer to blood just further solidified his intrigue
“I’d say that’s one way to put it as a comparison. Not that I know what different types of blood taste like, all I know is that fucking metallic taste…”
VB clicked a few times, almost chiding. It put the final record it had knocked over back on the shelf, before standing and turning around, projecting another hologram that looked almost like a map of constellations. There were larger stars, with smaller branches and stars coming off of them, all coming off of one large star.
[MAP OF EVERY MENTION OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN MY SYSTEM. SMALLER SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FILE TYPES. A LOT OF .TXT FILES. NEEDED TO CONNECT YOUR .GLTF SCAN TO THE MAP, WHICH TOOK A SECOND. SORRY!!!]
She quickly got rid of the hologram, remembering Michael's irritation at the last one.
[DIFFERENT BLOOD HAS DIFFERENT TASTES. DIVINE IS SWEETER AND RICHER. DEMONIC IS DARKER AND HEAVIER. NOT METALLIC.]
Michael stared at the constellations in both shock and awe, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a beautiful display
“These constellations… I haven’t seen them in such a long time… machine, I’m speechless..! Why don’t you show me this sooner..?!”
He then snapped back to reality upon hearing you describe the different tastes of blood, right, this was in response to his beer thing
“Is that why you enjoy beating the shit outta angels? Or do you much prefer the blood of your own kind? This genuinely has me interested as all fuck now.”
VB tilted its head, trying to understand what Michael meant by that. It was just the map of its database– Oh. Well, he supposed it did look like stars.
[MAP IS NOT REAL STARS, JUST DATA VISUALISATION. I HAVE REAL STARS SOMEWHERE…]
She trailed off, trying to find the file– yes! She projected a hologram of a real star map this time, the actual stars and constellations visible from Earth.
[REAL STARS FOR YOU! A 3D RECREATION OF A SCAN OF MULTIPLE PHOTOS FROM BEFORE THE WAR, WHEN THE STARS WERE STILL VISIBLE.]
She left that scan projecting onto the ceiling, hoping Michael liked it. It had taken them ages to create the full 3D model off of as many photos of the stars as possible, a full map of every star visible from Earth.
He looked at the floor when Michael mentioned the blood again, clicking his skates in and out over and over again.
[DO NOT BEAT UP ANGELS– DON’T LIKE FIGHTING. ANGEL BLOOD TASTES BEST, BUT I GO DOWN TO FRAUD AND HOPE THE DEATHCATCHERS CAN REANIMATE SOMETHING FOR ME TO REFUEL FROM.]
Michael watches as the map changes from what it was originally to the 3D recreation, he was even more blown away than before, such beauty
“I… had no idea that these constellations lost their radiance after the war… they’re so beautiful… each one brimming with life and… a cosmic holiness that none could ever replicate…”
Hearing more of your explanation, he didn’t take his eyes off of the recreation but he did respond, it would be rude not to after all
“Deathcatchers, eh? I guess that makes more sense, the damned things always weirded me out… but if they provide you with an unlimited supply of blood, then who am I to fucking judge?”
VB nodded. It had… never actually seen the stars, but it knew that they couldn’t be seen once the war occurred.
[HARD TO SEE STARS WHEN EVERYTHING IS POLLUTED.]
He watched Michael watch the stars. He was… glad that he seemed to be enjoying the 3D recreation, even though an angel of his standing should jut be able to… go see them, right?
[DEATHCATCHERS ARE STRANGE. TRYING TO GIVE LOVE BUT CANNOT. THEY USUALLY HELP ME GET BLOOD.]
She laughed, the sound a trill from her voice box.
[YOU COULD KILL ME RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED– I AM A BAD FIGHTER. DEATHCATCHERS ARE EASIEST.]
Right, the war, he didn’t know if he should still hold humans accountable for such a folly at this current point in time, they were desperate after all, but…
“I only wish that The Final War had been nothing more than a cruel joke… a Goddamn nightmare… but this hologram is all I need to see… to know that it was real…”
While silently mourning the loss of so much, he overheard the word “Deathcatcher” and immediately turned to you again, what were those monstrosities, truly?
“I see, guess that makes sense, an endless supply of blood would definitely do you well and- wait, kill you? Machine… I won’t do that, especially not after you decided to show me the stars in the form of a hologram.”
VB shrugged slightly. It was hard to form an opinion on the Final War– It wasn’t around to see any of it, and it was created as a result of the New Peace, which wouldn’t have happened if the War hadn’t, so…. VB kind of had the war to thank for its life. But she understood where Michael, who had seen it, was coming from.
[I WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT IT. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE WAR. I WISH IT HAD NOT HAPPENED, BUT I LIKE... BEING ALIVE.]
Perhaps that made her selfish, but if it did, then she was an incredibly selfish machine. She trilled a laugh when Michael was shocked at her words, clicking her skates out and skating circles around him.
[I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT. BUT YOU COULD IS WHAT I AM SAYING. YOU ARE GOOD FIGHTER– I AM NOT.]
Michael knew he couldn’t argue with that logic, you had every right to say such things, and who was he to judge or take that away from you?
“I can’t dismiss your logic here… VB… even with very differing viewpoints, I know damn well that a machine such as yourself has every right to live. Especially since you aren’t out for blood currently.”
He scoffed slightly at seeing you skate around him, your laugh did annoy him just a bit, but he wasn’t going to take away your fun
“Well, you’d better believe I’m one Hell of a fighter! Despite being known as God’s Wisdom. Oh how I wish I wasn’t always trapped here, I need to blow off some steam!”
VB seemed to physically brush off the talk of the war, twitching their wings a few times as they skated around. They seemed glad for an opening to change the topic.
[I RUN ON LOW FUEL– DON’T GET BLOOD OFTEN. MOVING FASTER EXPENDS MORE ENERGY, BUT–]
It was clear they didn’t have the ability to move slowly, even if it drained fuel quicker. It tilted its head at Michael’s mention of being stuck– could he not just leave?
[POP DOWN TO HELL THEN? GO FIGHT AND COME BACK AFTER?]
She had snuck into Heaven so easily, it’d probably be easy to sneak back out.
Michael understands now, it makes much more sense to him, but at the same time… he couldn’t help but feel bad for you
“VB, what are your current fuel levels? I’m sure it took a lot of energy to get up here in the first place after all. Don’t hide it from me.”
Upon hearing you suggest the idea of him going to Hell to let off some steam, he paused… why didn’t he do that? What was holding him back? Oh right…
“As much as I’d love to fuck up some demons, just a bit… there’s something that I need to continue researching… it’s gonna drive me insane if I don’t…”
Michael crossed his arms, not satisfied with the response he got in regard to your fuel levels, sure he didn’t interact with machines often but… he wasn’t going to let you lose power here
“Yeah, no, that’s not good enough, VB. Your levels are too damn low, I won’t have you dying of starvation here.”
Sighing, he reached behind his desk and pulled out a small knife, then, without hesitation, he sliced his left palm open and offered it to you, he hadn’t done this before
“Go ahead, consider this a blessing… plus this is my first time ever feeding a machine to begin with. As for your offer… I guess you can help? The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find anything here… it’s frustrating.”
VB tried to protest as Michael moved, following him around on her skates.
[15% IS NORMAL FOR ME– USUALLY ONLY REFUEL TO 30% ANYWAYS AND IT IS ONLY CRITICAL WHEN ITS UNDER 5%–]
She stops short when Michael is–
Bleeding–
Her optic refocuses loudly.
She rechecks her fuel levels, she shouldn't be this... unstable.... at a little blood–
FUEL GAUGE: 1%
Oh. She had misread it.
Her hand moves to her arm, scrambling to open the panel that allows her to feed, get the stupid needles that she had to uncap, fuck–
It was a lot of fumbling but eventually she managed to get set up, inserting the needle into where Michael had cut his hand, visibly relaxing when the blood got into her system. He didn’t need to know VB had read the gauge wrong.
[WwWWHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?]
His voice glitched out slightly as he spoke, wincing.
Michael reaches his right hand over and gently pats your head, he could sense something was very off with you, I mean, he is God’s Wisdom after all
“VB, just let yourself refuel to 100%, considering how quickly you burn through it, I’d rather not have to keep slicing my hand. But I’m glad I caught on before it was too late.”
He leaned back slightly in his chair, everything you were doing didn’t phase him at all, its like he couldn’t even feel it, not that it was an issue or anything
“What I’m looking for are documents that Heaven seemed to have erased from existence… there’s this group called “The Watchers”… the name rings a familiar bell but… I can’t remember… and… it’s driving me insane… how did they get rid of the documents here..?!”
VB trilled at the head pat, clearly enjoying the contact, but squirmed at Michael’s suggestion. It hadn’t been at full since….
DATA QUERY: TIME SINCE FUEL AT 100%
….
RETURN: 2147483647 HOURS
Well that was unhelpful. Who decided to use an int value for that stat–?
Whatever.
It had been a long time.
[I DO NOT NEED TO HAVE MY FUEL AT 100%, IT IS FINE TRULY–]
It didn’t want to take too much from Michael, clearly antsy to stop feeding even though it just started. He bounced his leg, squirming, truly not able to sit still.
[I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM– THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING FROM HEAVEN?]
Michael couldn’t help but be amused by the sound you made, machines truly were interesting to him, and you were just one of many examples of that
“VB, I insist, fill up to full, there’s no harm nor foul in doing so, plus it doesn’t hurt me. I’m a big ass angel, you don’t need to worry about me losing blood, alright?”
He sighed and glanced off to the side, the documents and books weren’t the only things that were missing, so much more was, and it frustrated him
“It’s… not just the documents… books are also missing along with… my memories regarding them… I can’t remember who they are or… were… but the name rings a feint bell..! I wouldn’t be surprised if Heaven erased my memory…”
VB almost whined, the unhappy sound coming from somewhere in her machinery, not wanting to fuel to 100%. It made her feel weird, the idea of sitting still long enough to fuel to 100%, as if it was against her very programming to stay still for that long. Their fingers tapped along the plating on their thigh rhythmically.
[...I DO NOT LIKE SITTING STILL FOR THAT LONG. 50% IS FINE.]
Maybe he could negotiate with Michael, a fuel level higher than his usual, but still not full, so he could move quicker, and take less. She wanted to move, wanted to go and research, wanted to look at what Michael was talking about.
[HUH. EVERYTHING IS GONE? MEMORIES AND DOCUMENTS?]
He thought for a moment, clicking open a panel and shutting it repeatedly on his thigh absently.
Michael could completely understand where you were coming from with that, even though he wasn’t feeling lightheaded at all, you still had the final say in all of this after all
“Alright, VB, if 50% truly is enough for you, then I won’t keep you sitting still any longer like an ignorant dumbass. But remember that you can always come to me for blood. It’s a non issues.”
The eldest of the Archangels looks up, he wouldn’t be surprised if many angels had completely forgotten who the watchers were, it couldn’t be just him, that wouldn’t make sense
“I feel as though any and all memories regarding them have been completely erased from the minds of everyone in Heaven… they’re trying to hide something. And it’s driving me insane because I should know these things! But no… I don’t… and I hate that so much!”
VB chirped happily, visibly relaxing at the prospect of not having to refuel all the way to 100%. He swung his legs back and forth.
[THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN– DO I NOT HAVE TO SNEAK IN NEXT TIME?]
His mechanical tone almost sounded joking, teasing, the bottom shutter of his optic raising in a smile as his wings twitched slightly.
As she refuelled, she thought further about what Michael was saying. His memories were erased, and so were those of angels in Heaven... but there was a much... looser control on things like that in Hell. It would be difficult for anyone to remove all traces of information in Hell itself.
[HAVE YOU TRIED THE LUST LIBRARIES INSTEAD? SOMEWHERE NOT IN HEAVEN?]
Michael once again couldn’t help but chuckle, you truly were both simple minded but also complex, he couldn’t help but find machines interesting, and, he no longer saw them as a threat
“As long as you only come to the Heavenly archive room, VB, I’ll be your damn blood bank. Just… try not to get caught by anyone on the way, ok? Don’t want you getting destroyed.”
At the mention of visiting Hell, especially the Lust layer to try and find more information on the watchers, the eldest of the Archangels was surprised that he didn’t think of that beforehand
“You… bring up a very good point there! Heaven can only erase the memories and texts of those who reside here! But, in Hell… there’s no way they can erase anything there! Smart thinking, VB!”
VB's optic closed entirely, and he made a sound that was similar to a laugh, shoulders shaking to imitate the human motion.
[I AM GOING TO GET CAUGHT BY EVERYONE. TALK TO EVERY ANGEL IN MY PATH. FOR FUN.]
He was clearly being sarcastic, though his tone didn't carry it very well, as flat as it was. His wings twitched slightly at the praise from Michael, glad he could be of some help.
[THE LUST LIBRARIES HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION. NEED TO GO WITH SOMEONE, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL BE ATTACKED.]
She... knew Michael would not be the most welcome in Hell, as visibly angelic as he was. He would probably get attacked before getting anywhere near the city center, which VB didn't want to happen.
Michael did his best to hold back a laugh, he knew you were being sarcastic, but the very idea of you doing everything to get caught by every angel in Heaven just… it was hilarious to imagine
“Sorry, it’s just- the fucking image of you doing that is so hilarious to me, VB! Oh, I know they’d struggle to catch you! Hahaha!”
After laughing again, the eldest of the Archangels thought on what you said, sure he was very intimidating, even Heavenly beings knew better than to fuck with him, but in Hell? The rules were different
“Hmm… you make very good points there… and I can’t risk an ambush… not with all the things currently clouding my mind… y’know what? Fuck it, you can take me there. I don’t mind one bit, VB.”
VB swung his legs back and forth once more, clicking his skates in and out as he continued smiling, optic shutting for a moment.
[THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ME. I AM FASTER ON WHEELS THAN THEY CAN FLY.]
She was glad to make Michael laugh– it made her feel like she was doing a good job somehow. With mention of going to the Lust library, she jumped up, accidentally pulling the needle out of Michael's hand and leaving it dangle out of the port on her arm.
FUEL GAUGE: 43%
Close enough.
They haphazardly shoved the tubes back into their arm, shutting the panel with a resounding click before skating back towards the entrance of the archives.
[WE CAN GO NOW– LESS CHANCE FOR AN AMBUSH DURING THE DAY.]
Frankly, as long as Michael was with VB, no one would touch him. Watch him, perhaps, but not outright attack him.
Michael had seen just how fast you truly were, only the Archangels could keep up with you, no other Heavenly being had it in them, this much he knew for a fact
“They’d definitely have a hard time catching you, VB, I’ve seen how fucking fast you are. Honestly, only us Archangels can keep up, but, we mean you no harm, machines don’t concern us anymore.”
The feeling of the needle being suddenly pulled out from his wrist caused Michael to wince slightly, it didn’t hurt, it just caught him off guard, sighing, he got up as well
“Alright, you’ve got a point, lead the way, VB. Though… would it be faster if I teleported us down to the Lust layer? I can do that with ease, but it’s completely up to you.”
VB made a mechanical humming sound, shifting his weight back and forth between his skates quickly. It… would be faster for Michael to teleport them there. His fuel gauge was higher than it had been in awhile, though…
She quickly glanced over Michael once more. How fast could he move…?
…They’d get to Lust in no time moving at full speed.
He took off like a shot, using the boosters in his legs to skate as fast as possible out of the archive room, sliding and bouncing and gliding to gain momentum, and keep it.
They shouted over their shoulder as they moved, assuming Michael was right behind them.
A smirk formed on Michael’s face, although you couldn’t see it due to the darkness that shrouded it, he always loved a challenge, and well… this was definitely one of many
“So it’s a race you want, huh VB? Heh, well… it’s a race you’re gonna fucking get! Be ready! Cause I’m not gonna let you win that easily!”
Exhaling, he got up, stretched, and immediately took off running after you, despite his buff stature, Michael was pretty quick, he was able to keep up with Gabriel after all, and before you knew it, he was right beside you
“This is hardly a challenge, VB! C’mon! You gotta give me something more! Show me what you were made for! I may be muscular… but don’t underestimate me!”
VB was trilling and chirping as it skated, clearly having a ton of fun as it gained as much momentum as possible. It was moving incredibly fast, but it was still glancing over its shoulder periodically, seeing Michael catch up easily.
[YOU WILL REGRET THAT!]
VB decided right then that he wasn't going to be looking over his shoulder anymore, instead creating a small explosion from his feet, propelling him forward and off of a wall, the bounce into the skating giving him enough momentum to absolutely be dangerous if he ran into something.
She took the path that was harder to navigate, but with lots of little spaces for her to slide through, spaces that she knew would be harder to navigate for Michael. Her slides barely lost any momentum, especially since she went right back into skating afterwards.
Michael’s smirk never faltered, no matter how fast you skated around, he still managed to keep up, he knew the halls of Heaven like the backs of his four hands after all, so of course he wasn’t gonna let you get away that easily
“Think you can get away that easily VB? Haha! Oh you’re SORELY mistaken! Ready or not… here I fucking come!!”
The eldest of the Archangels jumped up and took to the skies with ease, his barely visible orange wings casting a consistent glow on everything in his vicinity, even while flying, his speed didn’t diminish
“Haha! Oh, I can’t remember the last time I took flight like this! And don’t think I can’t see you, VB! You can’t outmaneuver me THAT easily!”
VB was at a disadvantage, at least until they hit the mouth of Hell, it had never been in Heaven before and Michael had been here his whole life. It needed terrain that couldn't be flown over, or through, without more challenges, something that was made to be navigated on foot instead of in the air–
Or maybe something else, a way to trick Michael, perhaps? One thing was clear, it needed time to get ahead, and win.
There was a large group of angels gathered around something in the distance, angels that were notably larger than VB itself, and a plan started to form. It quickly shuffled through its database, pulling up the model of itself, before skating into the crowd.
Two identical copies of VB skated back out from it, causing a great commotion among the angels around it, and took off in opposite directions.
Michael didn’t slow down in his pursuit, not even when the large group of angels below called out to him, he didn’t have time, plus they probably either wanted to chat up a storm or question everything, he wasn’t in the mood for it
“You really think that’s gonna be enough to stop me, VB?! Haha! Oh, it’s cute how much you underestimate me!”
With the sol behind him still brightly illuminated, he flew faster, nearly gliding at this point, the eldest of the Archangels was not only having fun, but also making sure to keep you on his radar at all times, you wouldn’t be the victor in this!
“Don’t forget, VB! I’m God’s Wisdom! Such a trick won’t be enough to throw me off your path! I know where you are! Which one is the real you! There’s no fucking escape! Haha!”
VB trilled loudly, clearly not upset over Michael immediately clocking his location, and clocking his trick. He had nothing else other than making it to the mouth of Hell, where he was more familiar with the terrain, and all of its shortcuts.
[YOU ARE FAST!!!]
She sounded incredibly pleased with that statement, pleased that someone could keep up with her reliably even in a silly race. She slid the rest of the way out of Heaven, launching herself fully towards the mouth of Hell, a jump and fall that was nothing short of terrifying, but VB didn’t even think twice, just launching herself fully.
Michael didn’t think twice and dove in after you, he was no stranger to Hell after all, he just… rarely visits it, not because he’s afraid, but because the need never really presented itself, the lowest he’d ever gone was Heresy truth be told
“You think Hell’s enough to stop me, VB?! I think fucking not! Hahaha! Keep running! Let’s see how long we can keep this up!”
The eldest of the Archangels truly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun, well… aside from when… he and his brothers were younger, and… when he and Phanuel… he shook his head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and focused on you instead
“You’d be surprised by just how fast I can go, VB! What do you say, wanna pick up the pace? I’d be more than happy to! Hahaha!”
VB did keep running, skating as fast as he possibly could. Hell was where he thrived, knowing all the shortcuts and incredibly narrow passageways in the rooms that Michael would struggle through.
[HELL IS FULL OF SMALL SPACES– GOOD LUCK!!!]
VB itself was small, and that was an intentional design, made to fit into small spaces with the intent of gathering samples. That also meant that it could absolutely fly through crevasses in the walls that were not as easily doable for bigger people, or bigger angels.
She used the boosters in her legs regularly, just to gain that little bit of speed against Michael, knowing the second they were out of a small space, he would catch up to her immediately. She was chirping and trilling the entire time they were racing, having so much fun.
Michael fully took on this challenge, of course you thought that small spaces would slow him down, well… you’ve severely underestimated this Archangel, sure, he’s bulky in terms of muscle, but that didn’t mean he was a stranger to such things
“Oh, how you underestimate me, VB! I can do this for fucking hours! Do you honestly think small spaces are enough to slow me down?! Well… you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The eldest of the Archangels continued to give chase, making sure to keep his arms and legs fully pinned together, letting only his wings do what they needed to do while continuing to increase his speed, he’d traverse Hell just like the halls of Heaven, nothing was new to him
“Hahaha! I can tell you’re having fun with this! Let’s keep it up! Cause I’m FAR from being done! I’ve still got you in my sights, VB!”
VB happened to glance over her shoulder, trilling loudly at just how close Michael was behind her, especially as they entered Limbo with much more wide open spaces, nothing she could use to try and trick or deter him.
All he could do was skate, skate as fast as he physically could, skate so quickly it absolutely shredded through his fuel supply, but he was entirely uncaring about that, as long as he still beat Michael in the race. He used every available speed boost in his arsenal, yet it still seemed as if Michael had no problems keeping up.
It was close though, uncomfortably close as they entered the streets of Lust, VB being forced to kick off the walls of buildings to dodge the few people still wandering around this late at night, Michael hot on their heels. VB skid through the streets, aiming right at the city center, and at the incredibly large library. They took a sharp turn, absolutely crashing through the door and skating into a table, the items cascading around them. They popped their head up for the rubble as Michael entered the door immediately after.
[YOU ARE REALLY FAST!!!!!!!! THAT WAS SO FUN!!!!!!!!]
It let itself lay back into the mess it created, laughing mechanically with its optic shut, wings clicking happily.
Michael quickly landed in front of you, not at all out of breath, he seemed both amused and slightly concerned upon seeing you pop your head out of the mess you made, there was just something so… childish yet familiar about it
“Damn, VB! I didn’t expect you to crash like that! Hope you didn’t break anything vital, cause that didn’t look fun, unless you enjoy crashing into objects. Which, I’m not one to judge!”
The eldest of the Archangels held back a chuckle before holding out his right hand, offering to help you up, this entire situation really did remind him of when he and his brothers would goof off in Heaven, eons ago
“Welp, since we’re here, grab on, I’ll help you up, you klutz. I swear… you’re quite the entertaining beast, you know that, VB? But yeah, this was fun! I haven’t done something like that in eons!”
VB wasn’t phased by the crash– they crashed into stuff all the time! It was just a byproduct of moving as fast as they did, sometimes, they would miscalculate where they needed to be, and crash into something. They had repaired more chips in their paint than they could count because of it.
[I AM OKAY– USED TO IT!]
He accepted the hand up, nearly being thrown to his feet by accident. He was quite small, and Michael was quite strong. He chirped anyways, glancing around the library for a moment before righting the table, and fixing the mess he made.
[YOU ARE VERY FAST, THAT WAS FUN!!!! WE SHOULD DO A RACE THROUGH ALL OF HELL, TOP TO BOTTOM. SEE WHO WINS!]
VB had always wanted to do a full race, she had heard other machines talk about it. It sounded exhilarating. Once the mess was cleaned up, she glanced back up at Michael, sweeping an arm out behind her. The library was entirely empty at this hour.
[WELCOME TO THE LUST LAYER CENTRAL LIBRARY!!! HOME TO BOOKS AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS GALORE.]
Michael couldn’t help but find your response amusing, a machine that’s so used to crashing into things… it honestly shouldn’t surprise him at this point, but he couldn’t deny that witnessing your complete lack of self control was just so interesting to him
“You truly are one of a kind, VB. I don’t think I’ve ever met a machine as intriguing as you, fuck… I just might take you up on that offer as well! I haven’t really gotten the chance to spread my wings and take flight like this in a long time!”
The eldest of the Archangels then turned his attention to the massive library, it honestly surprised him to see so many manuscripts, books, and… even some tomes! Some of these things looked like they belonged in the Tower of Babel! How they ended up in Hell, he’ll never know
“Hm, I must say, this is a very interesting and surprising amount of material… a few of these look like they came straight out of the Tower of Babel! Which I didn’t think was possible, impressive!”
VB's wings clicked a few times back and forth, clearly pleased with the praise. There was probably something buried in its programing that made it fond of praise, but VB was more a mechanics person, not digging around in its internal code very much.
[YOU SHOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT– GET OUT OF HEAVEN FOR AWHILE.]
Michael did seem like he needed a break from the stressors of Heaven. If he ever wanted to be in Hell instead, even just for a bit, as long as VB was tailing him he'd... probably go without being bothered. Probably.
VB was intimately familiar with the library– it had spent many times bouncing between the shelves, scanning through data and updating its internal database. It didn't seem to match the atmosphere, a chaotic machine like itself, but it loved the data.
[THERE IS A LOT HERE– KING MINOS CARES A LOT ABOUT KEEPING IT WELL PRESERVED. LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING.]
Michael thinks on your offer while also looking over rows of shelves, so many things here, he just couldn’t believe that they even existed in Hell to begin with, a pleasant surprise, one he welcomed with two sets of open arms
“I definitely will take you up on that offer, VB. It’s as you surmised, I’ve been stuck in Heaven, stressing out, for far too long now… being able to spread my wings and just let loose, fuck around, would be of great benefit.”
As the eldest of the Archangels spoke, he seemed to find a shelf that caught his attention, one that was filled with tomes, definitely from the Tower of Babel, he could tell just by the way they looked, and Michael hadn’t forgotten his original reason for being here, he needed that info
“Honestly, knowing King Minos, that doesn’t surprise me one bit. He always wants what’s best for everyone, I truly do admire his passion for keeping records, and… I’ve always felt horribly guilty… all of us Archangels do… he didn’t deserve that fate…”
VB’s wings perked up, and he made a happy trilling sound. He couldn’t wait to race Michael through Hell, he’d need to plan and try to find something to slow him down so that VB could win this time.
[GOOD. IT’LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. WE’RE ON!!!!]
She skated by Michael’s side as he looked over all the books. VB would break off on her own, but Michael already seemed to be drawn to the heavy tomes, and she was curious as to why. She hadn’t scanned that particular shelf before, it had never caught her eye other than being noted as old.
They looked slightly confused at mention of Minos’ fate, internal mechanisms clicking for a moment before processing what Michael meant by that.
[OH– YOU MEAN THE DEATH OF KING MINOS?]
He forgot that the kings die, he had learned it in other universes he hopped around to, but it wasn’t yet relevant information in his home universe, so he often didn’t really think about it.
[IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE YET. I FORGOT IT HAS HAPPENED IN MOST PLACES. IT IS STRANGE TO THINK HE COULD DIE.]
Michael turns to you, a sly smirk on his darkness shrouded face, he always loved challenges like this, it gave him a chance to spread his wings and truly let loose after such a long time of being indoors, he truly needed these things
“Haha! Oh I sure as Hell hope so, VB! Scheme all you want, there’s no outrunning me! As I’m sure you were able to see on our descent! No matter what you do, nothing will-“
He paused, Minos hadn’t died yet? How is such a thing possible? He saw both Gabriel and Seraph do it, so… that’s when it clicked in the mind of the eldest of the Archangels, a different universe… one where Minos, and by proxy, Sisyphus, had yet to die… he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang in his heart… you had yet to experience… everything…
“I see… VB, when… the inevitable fall of Lust does occur in your universe… although I know many will try to prevent it… I can only hope that they succeed this time around… feel free to seek me out for asylum… I’ll be there for you, no matter what, ok?”
VB looked at Michael carefully. He hadn’t interacted with anyone from a different universe than his own who seemed… upset about the death of Minos. Especially not an archangel like Michael. The shutters of his optic squinted slightly.
[WHY ARE YOU UPSET– DIDN’T HEAVEN CALL FOR HIS DEATH?]
That seemed to be the general consensus in other universes, at least. Minos would be killed on order from the Council, he’d be imprisoned, and his soul would form a prime soul, meaning he didn’t really die.
[IT SEEMS TO BE AN EVENT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, NOT SOMETHING PREVENTABLE. THOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFER, YOU ARE… VERY KIND.]
Its internal mechanisms made a few strange clicking sounds, a little flustered at how kind Michael was, considering VB had just met him.
Michael looks down, yes, the death of Minos was ordered by Heaven… but unfortunately you didn’t know the half of it… how so many of them tried to change the minds of… them… but nothing worked… it was always the same song and dance…
“Heaven did call for his death, VB, but… we tried so hard to fight back against The Council… those fuckers are so corrupt… they never listen to reason… they don’t care… Gabriel had no choice… they threatened him severely if he didn’t…”
The eldest of the Archangels let out a sigh as he tried to think of something else, but he just couldn’t, that event… there had to be some way to prevent it from happening once more… Minos didn’t deserve his fate… he deserved to live… same with Sisyphus…
“I’ll find a way to prevent it, VB… I don’t care what it takes… King Minos along with King Sisyphus deserve to live… in your dimension… their fates can be changed..! And… thank you, for the compliment, I appreciate it..!”
VB made a few small whirring sounds as he processed the information. The idea that many of the angels are actually against the Council changed… a lot in his database. It recontextualized quite a lot of actions.
[I THOUGHT THAT THE ANGELS LIKED THE COUNCIL– DO THEY NOT?]
Now he was incredibly curious about the politics of Heaven– he didn’t really talk to angels all that much, and especially not an archangel like Michael. He stepped closer, clicking his roller skates on and off. The deaths of Minos and Sisyphus were… admittedly not as big a deal to VB. He didn’t get the fuss if they’d just come back anyways.
[THEY COME BACK TO LIFE THOUGH. THEIR DEATH IS NOT A CHANGEABLE EVENT BUT NEITHER IS THEIR REBIRTH.]
If they would be reborn anyways, why was Michael so concerned about them dying in this world?
Michael knew he had to explain to you why so many in Heaven feared The Council… why they were worse than any and all demons he knew about… and why… their corruption had gone on for too long…
“It… may seem that way, VB, but… behind the scenes of what everyone sees, is nothing but horror… be it abuse… assault… cult like behavior… cannibalism… you name it… The Council is pure fucking evil… they make what takes place in Hell look like absolute paradise.”
At the mention of how the deaths and rebirths of both Minos and Sisyphus were all but inevitable events, the eldest of the Archangels took a breath, he knew this… and yet it still stung… horribly…
“The inevitably of both events can’t be avoided, I know but… that doesn’t mean that they deserve it… such things shouldn’t be decided on a whim… King Minos and King Sisyphus deserve to live… not suffer throughout every timeline… it’s… just not fair…”
VB’s lenses readjusted, making it look like his eye went wide. He… didn’t know that about the Council. It made a lot of sense, in hindsight, that they were a terrible group of people, but…
[WHY ARE THEY STILL IN POWER? YOU SAID CULT, BUT… YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR INFLUENCE, SURELY THERE ARE OTHERS TO HELP YOU OVERTHROW THEM?]
VB could…. help. It would probably be the last thing he ever did, but he’d be willing to try.
[I COULD HELP– BAD FIGHTER. BUT I COULD TRY.]
If what Michael said was true, VB wanted to help. They had to get rid of the Council so that the angels could have reform similar to that in Hell. It felt absurd that the layers of Hell had better government systems in place than… Heaven itself.
VB whirred slightly when Michael continued to talk. He… sounded incredibly guilty about their deaths, but VB didn’t understand still why. Sure, them not suffering would be great, but… they would still come back again. Perhaps VB didn’t need to understand why– they weren’t always the best with emotions.
[IF THE COUNCIL WAS GONE, PERHAPS THEY WOULDN’T DIE. NO ONE TO GIVE THE ORDER.]
Right… you didn’t know… Michael looked down, The Council… it didn’t matter what your ranking in Heaven was… be it lesser or Seraphim… they didn’t care… he hated it… so much… recalling everything… how the rot would never vanish…
“The Council… they don’t give two fucks about your ranking in Heaven… VB… it doesn’t matter if you’re a lesser angel or a Seraphim… they use and abuse you all the same… my brothers and I… even as Archangels… weren’t spared from their cruelty… we never were… and never will be…”
Upon hearing you not only bring up that you’d be willing to fight, but also how if The Council was gone, then Minos and Sisyphus wouldn’t die, such thoughts… the eldest of the Archangels wished they could become a reality, he truly did
“No matter how many times you kill them… they just keep reforming… the rot remains… an unending and disgusting cycle… a “holy” Ouroboros… King Minos and King Sisyphus… their deaths are all but assured in every timeline… and I hate it… so much…”
VB listened to everything Michael said intently, wings drooping down the longer he spoke. If there was seemingly no way to get rid of the Council, if their rule was an inevitable… how was any change ever supposed to be made? His systems whirred as he processed the information, trying to think of something to counter Michael, an idea to overthrow the Council entirely. He vented out air, sounding like a huffy sigh, when he couldn’t think of anything.
[…SORRY.]
It was all she could think to say, apologizing for the situation that Michael and the angels all seemed stuck in. It was a bizarre situation, that the angels had seemingly worse lives than those in Hell.
[DO YOU HAVE TO STAY IN HEAVEN? COULD YOU LEAVE?]
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but… if Michael and his siblings just moved to Hell instead, would that solve the problem? Or would the Council just extend their reach down here as well? They supposed it would be the latter, considering they had no problem killing both of the kings by proxy.
Michael could feel how much you wanted to find a solution for him and all the other angels that resided in Heaven… but what you didn’t account for was that some of the angels that resided there… were far from holy…
“I truly do still hold out a sliver of hope that things will change one day, VB, but… it’s been eons… and change has yet to come… Hell, there are some angels in Heaven who… don’t deserve to be there… those reprobates…”
The sol behind the eldest of the Archangels began to flicker as sparks fell to the floor, flammable, but luckily they didn’t ignite, he had control over them, for now at least… leaving Heaven for Hell… they tried once before… it… wasn’t pretty…
“Unfortunately me and my brothers can’t leave… At least not until Heaven completely falls apart… The Council’s reach is… horrifying… they’ll do anything and everything to ensure that we stay in line… like good little soldiers…”
VB was upset now, upset that there wasn’t a clear solution for her to give Michael that could help his situation. She didn’t want him to have to live under the thumb of the Council, it wasn’t fair. He deserved to live his life, far away from all of them. She was making an angry droning sound, clicking her skates on and off rapidly.
[IT IS NOT FAIR– YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THE COUNCIL PINNING YOU LIKE A BUG UNDER THEIR THUMB.]
They, unfortunately, were not surprised that all of Heaven’s angels were not, well, angels. With the Council as the ruling body of Heaven, it only made sense, that Heaven had angels that were… not the greatest. That only made them angrier, optic shutters narrowing into a squint as they continued to drone.
[HEAVEN IS STUPID. ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE NO BETTER THAN SINNERS IN HELL– WHAT IS THE POINT?]
There was no distinction in VB’s mind between the two– Heaven was just as bad. Especially with the more he head from Michael, he was certain that was the case.
Michael could easily tell just how upset you had become, and he couldn’t blame you… Heaven truly was worse than Hell… there wasn’t a way to argue against such a fact… especially when taken into account the most recent discoveries…
“I agree fully, VB, but… The Council won’t allow us to walk free… unless we want to experience abuse that’s far worse than what we endured before… those threats and scare tactics keep us in line…”
The eldest of the Archangels couldn’t help but think back to everything… it hurt him so much… he did all he could to ensure the safety of not only his brothers… but also those who truly didn’t deserve what was unleashed upon them…
“This information will frustrate you further, but… there are some angels that reside in Heaven who… think taking advantage of those who are weaker… more vulnerable… is perfectly fine and not a crime… two were recently killed… I aided in the death of one… he abused my daughter… but… one still remains… and he is beyond dangerous…”
VB just… didn’t understand. They didn’t understand, how could Heaven run successfully with a leadership model like the Council? What could they possibly do to keep an archangel like Michael in line? They supposed having angels that sided with them, that were just as terrible and manipulative as they were, probably helped bolster their control. Their wings were twitching with anger as they continued to make that droning, upset noise.
[ANGELS ARE NOT ABOVE ANYONE IN MORALITY– THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR HORRIBLE THINGS.]
It wasn’t enough. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the fact that there were angels so willing to take advantage of those weaker than them, it felt… opposite to everything she had read about angelic life. Though, she supposed, that was probably it. Readings were not equivalent to real life, lived experiences.
[I AM GLAD YOU AIDED IN THE DEATH OF ONE, BUT THE OTHER MUST DIE. LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.]
He was still stuck on that– he wanted the Council dead for Michael… even though it would probably spring back up in another form, at least it would be a respite from the hell.
Michael knew all too well what you meant, it frustrated him beyond belief… in Heaven, the angels were slaves to power… all the talk about righteousness was nothing but a front, there was nothing pure about Heaven…
“VB, at this point, The Council is above even The Father… he won’t be able to regain control of his own domain… they never stay dead… it’s so fucking disgusting…”
The eldest of the Archangels felt a bit of pride upon hearing you praise him for aiding in the death of Graphiel, but he understood why the other one… why he needed to die as well… but with all the info he now had… such a task would be…
“Thank you, for your praise, I appreciate it, however… killing the other one… from what I was able to gather… it’s practically impossible… he’s a fallen Seraphim… the highest ranking angel just below The Father… Seraphim are extremely hard to kill…”
VB didn’t like any of that information. He wasn’t a big follower of God or anything, but it… didn’t seem possible that he would be overpowered by the Council on his return. That… wasn’t how Heaven was supposed to work, it didn’t make any sense.
The more Michael talked about Heaven, and the angels in it, the more thankful VB became that they weren’t angelic in the slightest. Fuck that.
[PERHAPS OVERTHROWING THE COUNCIL RIGHT AFTER THE RETURN OF GOD WOULD DO IT. WEAKEN THEN ENOUGH TO GET RID ENTIRELY.]
It probably wouldn’t work, especially considering the angels that Michael said resided in Heaven. And that some of them couldn’t be killed… it was absolutely infuriating. VB glanced around the library for a moment. Maybe Michael just… hadn’t found how to kill a Seraphim yet. Maybe his answer was hidden somewhere in the extensive library, tucked away among all the other books.
[BUT THEY ARE KILLABLE. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HOW.]
Michael moves to scan over more books while still speaking, none of them seem to catch his interest, almost like the information within said texts were things he already knew… there has to be something here… right..?
“The thing is, VB… we’re scared to try anything against The Council… especially after all they’ve done to us… and uprising just feels like the quickest path to more suffering…”
The eldest of the Archangels sighed to himself, was it really possible to kill a Seraphim..? He knows how indestructible they are due to one of his brothers literally being one… they regenerate faster than most angels… it just… didn’t seem possible to him…
“I just can’t see any known ways to kill a Seraphim… I have a brother who’s one… The Council did all they could to try and completely tear him down… nearly succeeded too… but still he rose from the ashes, broken, battered, and traumatized, yes… but he didn’t die… Seraphim are near indestructible…”
VB deflated slightly, wings drooping down. They didn’t like when there wasn’t a clear solution to a problem. Usually, enough research could get them to something usable, but it felt as though Michael had already exhausted all avenues when it came to removing the Council. It just seemed… wrong.
[…UNDERSTOOD. I STILL… WISH YOU COULD REMOVE THEM.]
Maybe she’d find something in these books that could help overthrow the Council. Or find something information as to how to kill a seraphim. Michael said they were near invincible.
…VB knew enough machines designed for war to know that near invincible was definitely not the same thing as invincible. Seraphim could be killed. It was just a matter of how.
[WE JUST NEED TO FIND A WAY. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– THEY CAN DIE. IF THEY ARE INCREDIBLY RESILIENT, IT WILL JUST TAKE MORE TIME AND MORE POWER.]
VB started pulling random books off the shelves, scanning through them at breakneck speeds like with the archives before, looking for any relevant information.
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
It made V-X happy to see that VB was comfortable, that they felt safe. It was in moments like these that she realized just how much Hell’s blessing had changed her. How she had grown and developed and become someone safe. She never thought that was something she would achieve, but here she was, providing another machine an opportunity to rest.
V-X took VB’s hand into their own, not wanting him to keep himself awake any longer. It was clear that it had been long since he had allowed himself to rest, and they didn’t want to keep him from that.
They tilted VB’s hand up, “writing” into her palm with their finger instead of signing.
“G-O-O-D-N-I-G-H-T”
V-X looked back over to VB, chirping a little and gently holding onto their hand after she had finished writing. Deep inside, she hoped that one day the two would be somewhere that was safe, and that they could sleep in each other’s presence. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of having company while asleep felt….good. Especially VB’s company.
VB’s optic slid entirely closed, relaxing further as they squeezed V-X’s hand with a small, content and sleepy trill. It was all just so… comforting. So perfect. The only thing that would be better would be if V-X could sleep as well… It was she last thing she was thinking about as her systems slowed, and she fell asleep.
VB’s purr slowly stopped as she fell asleep, being replaced wholly by the white noise that she was generating. Her body was limp and heavy against V-X, optic entirely closed as the light from it, and her wings, dimmed considerably.
He would probably be asleep for a long time. V-X should be in it for the long haul.
(A dark grey machine, appearing to be a larger V model lands near them)
[@hells-v-ex-splorer]
[you’re cool and VB inspired me to make my own V model oc so I would like for them to meet]
VB jumped, turning to look at the other machine while ducking behind a telephone pole. She was torn between getting a closer look, and fleeing the scene immediately, trying to avoid a fight, but her curiosity always won out.
[HELLO!!!]
She peeked out from her hiding spot, skating over to the other V-Model quickly, lenses clicking out to scan them.
VB had no sense of personal space, skating a full circle around V-Ex to complete the scan, lenses clicking back once it was complete. She projected the hologram of him on the ground next to her when she was done, skating back slightly.
[VB!]
She tapped her designation on her chest, as hard to see as it was in the low lighting.
[WHAT ARE YOU IN HELL FOR?]
He clicked his skates on and off as he stood, incredibly antsy for a machine, unable to really stop moving.
VB stopped in front of him, wings and eye glowing brighter from her excitement. Her wings were still clicking back and forth, twitching as she trilled.
[I WENT TO HEAVEN ONCE– I SCANNED SO MANY ARCHIVES, WHAT DID YOU DO?]
It took a lagging moment before he processed the rest of what V-Ex said. He had never been anywhere but here? That just meant it was perfect to explore!
[WE SHOULD EXPLORE!!! THIS IS THE LUST LAYER, IT IS A CITY.]
VB’s wings clicked back and forth happily, clicking and chirping at the mention of Michael. Michael was incredibly kind to her– she’d consider him a good friend.
[MICHAEL IS VERY FUN!! THE ARCHIVES ARE EXCELLENT AS WELL!!!]
He skated off in one direction in Lust, assuming V-Ex was following him close behind, making sure to not go too fast so the other machine could keep up.
[LUST IS VERY PRETTY IN THE CITY CENTER, IT IS WHERE EVERYTHING IS. ALL OF THE CITY COMES TOGETHER THERE.]
VB continued skating, trying to slow down further so V-Ex didn’t have to sprint as quickly as he was. They moved through the streets of Lust, under the light of the street lamps, avoiding other machines and demons as they continued.
[LUST IS… FUN. NOT THE BEST FOR SAMPLING PURPOSES, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. GOOD FOR FIELD RESEARCH. AND THERE IS A HUGE LIBRARY, RIVALS THE ARCHIVES.]
It wasn’t her home, but it was definitely quite the cool place in Hell. Showed just how resilient people could be, even when faced with what was supposed to be eternal suffering.
VB clicked and chirped, slowing down to show off to V-Ex. She clicked her main panel open, tucked away in the space between where her ribs would be, was a fully temperature controlled container packed full with samples.
[WAS MOSTLY MADE TO COLLECT SAMPLES, BUT I GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AS WELL. HAVE A LOT OF DATA STORED.]
It was perfect– VB and V-Ex were almost like opposite ends of the spectrum for exploration machines, each made for something specific. He clicked his panel shut, continuing to skate once more.
VB…. wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here. But there were so many archives, she was practically buzzing with happiness, skating around the room and scanning everything they came across. It was not being the most... attentive, not exactly paying attention to anyone else entering the room...
-@fromthe-very-beginning
“..?”
Michael looks up from his planner, he could hear the skating noise all the way from his makeshift office
“Oh for fucks sake… what now? Who could possibly think skating in here is a good idea?!”
He gets up and walks out to the main hall of the archive room, muttering things under his breath that many would consider carnal sins
“Hey! Mind cutting that the fuck out?! How the Hell did you even get in here?! Goddamn… is it really that hard to ask for my permission before entering?!”
VB startled, moving at such high speeds that it crashed fully into one of the shelves, sending archives tumbling down around herself as she sprawled out on the ground, retracting their skates quickly. It took a few moments for him to regain his bearings, peeking up at the angel.
[SORRY...]
It popped up, trying to creep close enough to scan the angel, lenses clicking into place quickly, abandoning the mess they made on the floor. He'd clean it up later, once it had scanned everything in the pile.
Michael’s orange wings droop slightly, he’s annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this whole situation
“Another machine… how in the Hell did you get up here? Never mind that… mind explaining why the fuck you were skating around so haphazardly?!”
His upper arms were already crossed, right foot tapping against the floor to show impatience
“The Heavenly archive room holds many texts and documents that can’t be found elsewhere, so you best hope none of the ones you knocked over are damaged, machine…”
VB moved a little bit closer, seemingly not worried about the angel's clear irritation. Once it got within range, they stood still until the scan was complete.
[SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME!!! NEED TO MOVE FAST–]
The scan completed, and she was off again, projecting the scan of Michael on the ground next to him, the hologram spinning around slowly, while they shuffled through the archives for ones that hadn't been scanned yet. It found one, holding it up victoriously, and began scanning it.
VB moved through its scan, quickly putting the archive up onto the shelf before moving to another one, letting the hologram continue to spin absentmindedly next to it.
[NEED TO READ AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I AM KICKED OUT]
She didn't look back at Michael, continuing to talk as they scanned. The hologram of Michael did a little dance.
[HOLOGRAM!!! I SCANNED YOU INTO MY DATABASE.]
It flipped its head around perfectly 180 degrees to look back at Michael.
He just watches in complete shock as you scan through each archive with impressive speeds
“I’m not gonna kick you out, machine, Christ on high… you can slow the fuck down now!”
Michael side eyes the hologram, completely unnerved by it
“Right… and you’re making it… dance..? Fucking Hell… and here I thought I’d seen it all! Why did you project it in the first place..?! And- that question you just asked is completely irrelevant! You don’t need to know that!”
VB only slowed slightly down on scanning the archives, still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed that was just her default state. The machine continued to make the hologram dance for a moment, before it disappeared entirely.
[WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. ISN'T IT COOL???]
It skated back over to Michael, holding out their hand. In it, a small hologram of Michael rested, curled up like a cat, sleeping.
[VERSATILE. MANY USES.]
He chirped a few times, skating quickly back over to the archives.
The eldest of the Archangels was definitely relived to see you slow down, even if it wasn’t all the way, he’d take anything at this point
“Right… sorry, I’m just not used to such… technology? And- why the fuck is it sleeping like a cat now..?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re making a fucking mockery of me..!”
He sighs, doing all that he can to keep himself from losing his mind
“I- yes… it’s an alcoholic beverage… why do you want to know so badly? I don’t believe it’s safe for a machine to drink such things, especially if you run on blood of all fucking substances.”
[NOT MOCKING. IMPORTANT! YOU ARE IN MY DATABASE NOW.]
It flipped its head back around to continue scanning records. It was clear that he only scanned things that were deemed important, which…. coincidentally happened to be everything.
[HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?]
He honestly was just incredibly curious, even if the information was entirely irrelevant to itself.
He didn’t even know how to properly process all of this, and seeing you scan over literally everything wasn’t helping his confusion
“Why… am I in your database now..? What’s the fucking purpose of that..?! I’m just… so Goddamn confused now… all this tech talk is making my head spin…”
Hearing the genuine curiosity in your voice regarding beer, how it’s made, and how it tastes, he perks up slightly
“Well… beer can be made through a multitude of ways, but all you really need is boiling water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. Those are the key ingredients. As for how it tastes… it can be pretty damn bitter but also sweet depending on the ingredients.”
VB was perfectly still as it scanned, seemingly the only thing that stopped the machine from moving around constantly. She wanted to make sure that the scan was clear, and she didn't have to redo it once it was complete.
[IN DATABASE– I KNOW YOU NOW! YOU ARE...]
It trailed off, realizing that there were blanks in the entry.
[WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I AM VB!]
It tapped its chest where the engraving was, not fully realizing that it was facing away from Michael.
She listened carefully as Michael explained beer, opening a new database entry and making mental notes about the drink.
[WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT? BITTER AND SWEET ARE OPPOSITES, YES?]
Despite being even more confused than before, he decides to play along with this, not wanting to cause anything else
“I guess that makes sense? Wait… you don’t know my damn name?! I’m the Archangel Michael! How in the fuck- ah, never mind… it’s good to meet you, VB.”
Upon hearing you question why beer can be both bitter and sweet, he sighs quietly
“Like I said, it all depends on the ingredients, even though bitter and sweet contrast each other in theory. Mixed together the correct way, especially in an alcoholic drink, they just work so fucking well together.”
When VB heard the archangel's name, it paused for a split second, going through every instance of [ARCHANGEL MICHAEL] in its database. It perked up when it found what it was looking for, glancing back at Michael.
[ARCHANGEL MICHAEL! FROM THE BIBLE! I HAVE CREATED THE CONNECTION.]
She had read the Old and New Testaments during her limited time on Earth, scanning them all into her database. It was nice to put a "face to the name", as is said.
His voice box made a little musical droning sound, clearly a hum as he thought about all he was learning about beer.
[HM. LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES TASTING DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING ALL BLOOD? DEMON VS DIVINE, ETC?]
He couldn’t help but observe with growing intrigue, even though machines annoyed him, you were definitely something different
“Yes, that’s me, I’m honestly shocked that you didn’t save such valuable information, VB. But then again… you probably have a lot on your damn mind, so who am I to judge?”
Hearing you compare the different tastes of beer to blood just further solidified his intrigue
“I’d say that’s one way to put it as a comparison. Not that I know what different types of blood taste like, all I know is that fucking metallic taste…”
VB clicked a few times, almost chiding. It put the final record it had knocked over back on the shelf, before standing and turning around, projecting another hologram that looked almost like a map of constellations. There were larger stars, with smaller branches and stars coming off of them, all coming off of one large star.
[MAP OF EVERY MENTION OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN MY SYSTEM. SMALLER SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FILE TYPES. A LOT OF .TXT FILES. NEEDED TO CONNECT YOUR .GLTF SCAN TO THE MAP, WHICH TOOK A SECOND. SORRY!!!]
She quickly got rid of the hologram, remembering Michael's irritation at the last one.
[DIFFERENT BLOOD HAS DIFFERENT TASTES. DIVINE IS SWEETER AND RICHER. DEMONIC IS DARKER AND HEAVIER. NOT METALLIC.]
Michael stared at the constellations in both shock and awe, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a beautiful display
“These constellations… I haven’t seen them in such a long time… machine, I’m speechless..! Why don’t you show me this sooner..?!”
He then snapped back to reality upon hearing you describe the different tastes of blood, right, this was in response to his beer thing
“Is that why you enjoy beating the shit outta angels? Or do you much prefer the blood of your own kind? This genuinely has me interested as all fuck now.”
VB tilted its head, trying to understand what Michael meant by that. It was just the map of its database– Oh. Well, he supposed it did look like stars.
[MAP IS NOT REAL STARS, JUST DATA VISUALISATION. I HAVE REAL STARS SOMEWHERE…]
She trailed off, trying to find the file– yes! She projected a hologram of a real star map this time, the actual stars and constellations visible from Earth.
[REAL STARS FOR YOU! A 3D RECREATION OF A SCAN OF MULTIPLE PHOTOS FROM BEFORE THE WAR, WHEN THE STARS WERE STILL VISIBLE.]
She left that scan projecting onto the ceiling, hoping Michael liked it. It had taken them ages to create the full 3D model off of as many photos of the stars as possible, a full map of every star visible from Earth.
He looked at the floor when Michael mentioned the blood again, clicking his skates in and out over and over again.
[DO NOT BEAT UP ANGELS– DON’T LIKE FIGHTING. ANGEL BLOOD TASTES BEST, BUT I GO DOWN TO FRAUD AND HOPE THE DEATHCATCHERS CAN REANIMATE SOMETHING FOR ME TO REFUEL FROM.]
Michael watches as the map changes from what it was originally to the 3D recreation, he was even more blown away than before, such beauty
“I… had no idea that these constellations lost their radiance after the war… they’re so beautiful… each one brimming with life and… a cosmic holiness that none could ever replicate…”
Hearing more of your explanation, he didn’t take his eyes off of the recreation but he did respond, it would be rude not to after all
“Deathcatchers, eh? I guess that makes more sense, the damned things always weirded me out… but if they provide you with an unlimited supply of blood, then who am I to fucking judge?”
VB nodded. It had… never actually seen the stars, but it knew that they couldn’t be seen once the war occurred.
[HARD TO SEE STARS WHEN EVERYTHING IS POLLUTED.]
He watched Michael watch the stars. He was… glad that he seemed to be enjoying the 3D recreation, even though an angel of his standing should jut be able to… go see them, right?
[DEATHCATCHERS ARE STRANGE. TRYING TO GIVE LOVE BUT CANNOT. THEY USUALLY HELP ME GET BLOOD.]
She laughed, the sound a trill from her voice box.
[YOU COULD KILL ME RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED– I AM A BAD FIGHTER. DEATHCATCHERS ARE EASIEST.]
Right, the war, he didn’t know if he should still hold humans accountable for such a folly at this current point in time, they were desperate after all, but…
“I only wish that The Final War had been nothing more than a cruel joke… a Goddamn nightmare… but this hologram is all I need to see… to know that it was real…”
While silently mourning the loss of so much, he overheard the word “Deathcatcher” and immediately turned to you again, what were those monstrosities, truly?
“I see, guess that makes sense, an endless supply of blood would definitely do you well and- wait, kill you? Machine… I won’t do that, especially not after you decided to show me the stars in the form of a hologram.”
VB shrugged slightly. It was hard to form an opinion on the Final War– It wasn’t around to see any of it, and it was created as a result of the New Peace, which wouldn’t have happened if the War hadn’t, so…. VB kind of had the war to thank for its life. But she understood where Michael, who had seen it, was coming from.
[I WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT IT. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE WAR. I WISH IT HAD NOT HAPPENED, BUT I LIKE... BEING ALIVE.]
Perhaps that made her selfish, but if it did, then she was an incredibly selfish machine. She trilled a laugh when Michael was shocked at her words, clicking her skates out and skating circles around him.
[I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT. BUT YOU COULD IS WHAT I AM SAYING. YOU ARE GOOD FIGHTER– I AM NOT.]
Michael knew he couldn’t argue with that logic, you had every right to say such things, and who was he to judge or take that away from you?
“I can’t dismiss your logic here… VB… even with very differing viewpoints, I know damn well that a machine such as yourself has every right to live. Especially since you aren’t out for blood currently.”
He scoffed slightly at seeing you skate around him, your laugh did annoy him just a bit, but he wasn’t going to take away your fun
“Well, you’d better believe I’m one Hell of a fighter! Despite being known as God’s Wisdom. Oh how I wish I wasn’t always trapped here, I need to blow off some steam!”
VB seemed to physically brush off the talk of the war, twitching their wings a few times as they skated around. They seemed glad for an opening to change the topic.
[I RUN ON LOW FUEL– DON’T GET BLOOD OFTEN. MOVING FASTER EXPENDS MORE ENERGY, BUT–]
It was clear they didn’t have the ability to move slowly, even if it drained fuel quicker. It tilted its head at Michael’s mention of being stuck– could he not just leave?
[POP DOWN TO HELL THEN? GO FIGHT AND COME BACK AFTER?]
She had snuck into Heaven so easily, it’d probably be easy to sneak back out.
Michael understands now, it makes much more sense to him, but at the same time… he couldn’t help but feel bad for you
“VB, what are your current fuel levels? I’m sure it took a lot of energy to get up here in the first place after all. Don’t hide it from me.”
Upon hearing you suggest the idea of him going to Hell to let off some steam, he paused… why didn’t he do that? What was holding him back? Oh right…
“As much as I’d love to fuck up some demons, just a bit… there’s something that I need to continue researching… it’s gonna drive me insane if I don’t…”
Michael crossed his arms, not satisfied with the response he got in regard to your fuel levels, sure he didn’t interact with machines often but… he wasn’t going to let you lose power here
“Yeah, no, that’s not good enough, VB. Your levels are too damn low, I won’t have you dying of starvation here.”
Sighing, he reached behind his desk and pulled out a small knife, then, without hesitation, he sliced his left palm open and offered it to you, he hadn’t done this before
“Go ahead, consider this a blessing… plus this is my first time ever feeding a machine to begin with. As for your offer… I guess you can help? The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find anything here… it’s frustrating.”
VB tried to protest as Michael moved, following him around on her skates.
[15% IS NORMAL FOR ME– USUALLY ONLY REFUEL TO 30% ANYWAYS AND IT IS ONLY CRITICAL WHEN ITS UNDER 5%–]
She stops short when Michael is–
Bleeding–
Her optic refocuses loudly.
She rechecks her fuel levels, she shouldn't be this... unstable.... at a little blood–
FUEL GAUGE: 1%
Oh. She had misread it.
Her hand moves to her arm, scrambling to open the panel that allows her to feed, get the stupid needles that she had to uncap, fuck–
It was a lot of fumbling but eventually she managed to get set up, inserting the needle into where Michael had cut his hand, visibly relaxing when the blood got into her system. He didn’t need to know VB had read the gauge wrong.
[WwWWHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?]
His voice glitched out slightly as he spoke, wincing.
Michael reaches his right hand over and gently pats your head, he could sense something was very off with you, I mean, he is God’s Wisdom after all
“VB, just let yourself refuel to 100%, considering how quickly you burn through it, I’d rather not have to keep slicing my hand. But I’m glad I caught on before it was too late.”
He leaned back slightly in his chair, everything you were doing didn’t phase him at all, its like he couldn’t even feel it, not that it was an issue or anything
“What I’m looking for are documents that Heaven seemed to have erased from existence… there’s this group called “The Watchers”… the name rings a familiar bell but… I can’t remember… and… it’s driving me insane… how did they get rid of the documents here..?!”
VB trilled at the head pat, clearly enjoying the contact, but squirmed at Michael’s suggestion. It hadn’t been at full since….
DATA QUERY: TIME SINCE FUEL AT 100%
….
RETURN: 2147483647 HOURS
Well that was unhelpful. Who decided to use an int value for that stat–?
Whatever.
It had been a long time.
[I DO NOT NEED TO HAVE MY FUEL AT 100%, IT IS FINE TRULY–]
It didn’t want to take too much from Michael, clearly antsy to stop feeding even though it just started. He bounced his leg, squirming, truly not able to sit still.
[I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM– THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING FROM HEAVEN?]
Michael couldn’t help but be amused by the sound you made, machines truly were interesting to him, and you were just one of many examples of that
“VB, I insist, fill up to full, there’s no harm nor foul in doing so, plus it doesn’t hurt me. I’m a big ass angel, you don’t need to worry about me losing blood, alright?”
He sighed and glanced off to the side, the documents and books weren’t the only things that were missing, so much more was, and it frustrated him
“It’s… not just the documents… books are also missing along with… my memories regarding them… I can’t remember who they are or… were… but the name rings a feint bell..! I wouldn’t be surprised if Heaven erased my memory…”
VB almost whined, the unhappy sound coming from somewhere in her machinery, not wanting to fuel to 100%. It made her feel weird, the idea of sitting still long enough to fuel to 100%, as if it was against her very programming to stay still for that long. Their fingers tapped along the plating on their thigh rhythmically.
[...I DO NOT LIKE SITTING STILL FOR THAT LONG. 50% IS FINE.]
Maybe he could negotiate with Michael, a fuel level higher than his usual, but still not full, so he could move quicker, and take less. She wanted to move, wanted to go and research, wanted to look at what Michael was talking about.
[HUH. EVERYTHING IS GONE? MEMORIES AND DOCUMENTS?]
He thought for a moment, clicking open a panel and shutting it repeatedly on his thigh absently.
Michael could completely understand where you were coming from with that, even though he wasn’t feeling lightheaded at all, you still had the final say in all of this after all
“Alright, VB, if 50% truly is enough for you, then I won’t keep you sitting still any longer like an ignorant dumbass. But remember that you can always come to me for blood. It’s a non issues.”
The eldest of the Archangels looks up, he wouldn’t be surprised if many angels had completely forgotten who the watchers were, it couldn’t be just him, that wouldn’t make sense
“I feel as though any and all memories regarding them have been completely erased from the minds of everyone in Heaven… they’re trying to hide something. And it’s driving me insane because I should know these things! But no… I don’t… and I hate that so much!”
VB chirped happily, visibly relaxing at the prospect of not having to refuel all the way to 100%. He swung his legs back and forth.
[THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN– DO I NOT HAVE TO SNEAK IN NEXT TIME?]
His mechanical tone almost sounded joking, teasing, the bottom shutter of his optic raising in a smile as his wings twitched slightly.
As she refuelled, she thought further about what Michael was saying. His memories were erased, and so were those of angels in Heaven... but there was a much... looser control on things like that in Hell. It would be difficult for anyone to remove all traces of information in Hell itself.
[HAVE YOU TRIED THE LUST LIBRARIES INSTEAD? SOMEWHERE NOT IN HEAVEN?]
Michael once again couldn’t help but chuckle, you truly were both simple minded but also complex, he couldn’t help but find machines interesting, and, he no longer saw them as a threat
“As long as you only come to the Heavenly archive room, VB, I’ll be your damn blood bank. Just… try not to get caught by anyone on the way, ok? Don’t want you getting destroyed.”
At the mention of visiting Hell, especially the Lust layer to try and find more information on the watchers, the eldest of the Archangels was surprised that he didn’t think of that beforehand
“You… bring up a very good point there! Heaven can only erase the memories and texts of those who reside here! But, in Hell… there’s no way they can erase anything there! Smart thinking, VB!”
VB's optic closed entirely, and he made a sound that was similar to a laugh, shoulders shaking to imitate the human motion.
[I AM GOING TO GET CAUGHT BY EVERYONE. TALK TO EVERY ANGEL IN MY PATH. FOR FUN.]
He was clearly being sarcastic, though his tone didn't carry it very well, as flat as it was. His wings twitched slightly at the praise from Michael, glad he could be of some help.
[THE LUST LIBRARIES HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION. NEED TO GO WITH SOMEONE, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL BE ATTACKED.]
She... knew Michael would not be the most welcome in Hell, as visibly angelic as he was. He would probably get attacked before getting anywhere near the city center, which VB didn't want to happen.
Michael did his best to hold back a laugh, he knew you were being sarcastic, but the very idea of you doing everything to get caught by every angel in Heaven just… it was hilarious to imagine
“Sorry, it’s just- the fucking image of you doing that is so hilarious to me, VB! Oh, I know they’d struggle to catch you! Hahaha!”
After laughing again, the eldest of the Archangels thought on what you said, sure he was very intimidating, even Heavenly beings knew better than to fuck with him, but in Hell? The rules were different
“Hmm… you make very good points there… and I can’t risk an ambush… not with all the things currently clouding my mind… y’know what? Fuck it, you can take me there. I don’t mind one bit, VB.”
VB swung his legs back and forth once more, clicking his skates in and out as he continued smiling, optic shutting for a moment.
[THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ME. I AM FASTER ON WHEELS THAN THEY CAN FLY.]
She was glad to make Michael laugh– it made her feel like she was doing a good job somehow. With mention of going to the Lust library, she jumped up, accidentally pulling the needle out of Michael's hand and leaving it dangle out of the port on her arm.
FUEL GAUGE: 43%
Close enough.
They haphazardly shoved the tubes back into their arm, shutting the panel with a resounding click before skating back towards the entrance of the archives.
[WE CAN GO NOW– LESS CHANCE FOR AN AMBUSH DURING THE DAY.]
Frankly, as long as Michael was with VB, no one would touch him. Watch him, perhaps, but not outright attack him.
Michael had seen just how fast you truly were, only the Archangels could keep up with you, no other Heavenly being had it in them, this much he knew for a fact
“They’d definitely have a hard time catching you, VB, I’ve seen how fucking fast you are. Honestly, only us Archangels can keep up, but, we mean you no harm, machines don’t concern us anymore.”
The feeling of the needle being suddenly pulled out from his wrist caused Michael to wince slightly, it didn’t hurt, it just caught him off guard, sighing, he got up as well
“Alright, you’ve got a point, lead the way, VB. Though… would it be faster if I teleported us down to the Lust layer? I can do that with ease, but it’s completely up to you.”
VB made a mechanical humming sound, shifting his weight back and forth between his skates quickly. It… would be faster for Michael to teleport them there. His fuel gauge was higher than it had been in awhile, though…
She quickly glanced over Michael once more. How fast could he move…?
…They’d get to Lust in no time moving at full speed.
He took off like a shot, using the boosters in his legs to skate as fast as possible out of the archive room, sliding and bouncing and gliding to gain momentum, and keep it.
They shouted over their shoulder as they moved, assuming Michael was right behind them.
A smirk formed on Michael’s face, although you couldn’t see it due to the darkness that shrouded it, he always loved a challenge, and well… this was definitely one of many
“So it’s a race you want, huh VB? Heh, well… it’s a race you’re gonna fucking get! Be ready! Cause I’m not gonna let you win that easily!”
Exhaling, he got up, stretched, and immediately took off running after you, despite his buff stature, Michael was pretty quick, he was able to keep up with Gabriel after all, and before you knew it, he was right beside you
“This is hardly a challenge, VB! C’mon! You gotta give me something more! Show me what you were made for! I may be muscular… but don’t underestimate me!”
VB was trilling and chirping as it skated, clearly having a ton of fun as it gained as much momentum as possible. It was moving incredibly fast, but it was still glancing over its shoulder periodically, seeing Michael catch up easily.
[YOU WILL REGRET THAT!]
VB decided right then that he wasn't going to be looking over his shoulder anymore, instead creating a small explosion from his feet, propelling him forward and off of a wall, the bounce into the skating giving him enough momentum to absolutely be dangerous if he ran into something.
She took the path that was harder to navigate, but with lots of little spaces for her to slide through, spaces that she knew would be harder to navigate for Michael. Her slides barely lost any momentum, especially since she went right back into skating afterwards.
Michael’s smirk never faltered, no matter how fast you skated around, he still managed to keep up, he knew the halls of Heaven like the backs of his four hands after all, so of course he wasn’t gonna let you get away that easily
“Think you can get away that easily VB? Haha! Oh you’re SORELY mistaken! Ready or not… here I fucking come!!”
The eldest of the Archangels jumped up and took to the skies with ease, his barely visible orange wings casting a consistent glow on everything in his vicinity, even while flying, his speed didn’t diminish
“Haha! Oh, I can’t remember the last time I took flight like this! And don’t think I can’t see you, VB! You can’t outmaneuver me THAT easily!”
VB was at a disadvantage, at least until they hit the mouth of Hell, it had never been in Heaven before and Michael had been here his whole life. It needed terrain that couldn't be flown over, or through, without more challenges, something that was made to be navigated on foot instead of in the air–
Or maybe something else, a way to trick Michael, perhaps? One thing was clear, it needed time to get ahead, and win.
There was a large group of angels gathered around something in the distance, angels that were notably larger than VB itself, and a plan started to form. It quickly shuffled through its database, pulling up the model of itself, before skating into the crowd.
Two identical copies of VB skated back out from it, causing a great commotion among the angels around it, and took off in opposite directions.
Michael didn’t slow down in his pursuit, not even when the large group of angels below called out to him, he didn’t have time, plus they probably either wanted to chat up a storm or question everything, he wasn’t in the mood for it
“You really think that’s gonna be enough to stop me, VB?! Haha! Oh, it’s cute how much you underestimate me!”
With the sol behind him still brightly illuminated, he flew faster, nearly gliding at this point, the eldest of the Archangels was not only having fun, but also making sure to keep you on his radar at all times, you wouldn’t be the victor in this!
“Don’t forget, VB! I’m God’s Wisdom! Such a trick won’t be enough to throw me off your path! I know where you are! Which one is the real you! There’s no fucking escape! Haha!”
VB trilled loudly, clearly not upset over Michael immediately clocking his location, and clocking his trick. He had nothing else other than making it to the mouth of Hell, where he was more familiar with the terrain, and all of its shortcuts.
[YOU ARE FAST!!!]
She sounded incredibly pleased with that statement, pleased that someone could keep up with her reliably even in a silly race. She slid the rest of the way out of Heaven, launching herself fully towards the mouth of Hell, a jump and fall that was nothing short of terrifying, but VB didn’t even think twice, just launching herself fully.
Michael didn’t think twice and dove in after you, he was no stranger to Hell after all, he just… rarely visits it, not because he’s afraid, but because the need never really presented itself, the lowest he’d ever gone was Heresy truth be told
“You think Hell’s enough to stop me, VB?! I think fucking not! Hahaha! Keep running! Let’s see how long we can keep this up!”
The eldest of the Archangels truly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun, well… aside from when… he and his brothers were younger, and… when he and Phanuel… he shook his head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and focused on you instead
“You’d be surprised by just how fast I can go, VB! What do you say, wanna pick up the pace? I’d be more than happy to! Hahaha!”
VB did keep running, skating as fast as he possibly could. Hell was where he thrived, knowing all the shortcuts and incredibly narrow passageways in the rooms that Michael would struggle through.
[HELL IS FULL OF SMALL SPACES– GOOD LUCK!!!]
VB itself was small, and that was an intentional design, made to fit into small spaces with the intent of gathering samples. That also meant that it could absolutely fly through crevasses in the walls that were not as easily doable for bigger people, or bigger angels.
She used the boosters in her legs regularly, just to gain that little bit of speed against Michael, knowing the second they were out of a small space, he would catch up to her immediately. She was chirping and trilling the entire time they were racing, having so much fun.
Michael fully took on this challenge, of course you thought that small spaces would slow him down, well… you’ve severely underestimated this Archangel, sure, he’s bulky in terms of muscle, but that didn’t mean he was a stranger to such things
“Oh, how you underestimate me, VB! I can do this for fucking hours! Do you honestly think small spaces are enough to slow me down?! Well… you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The eldest of the Archangels continued to give chase, making sure to keep his arms and legs fully pinned together, letting only his wings do what they needed to do while continuing to increase his speed, he’d traverse Hell just like the halls of Heaven, nothing was new to him
“Hahaha! I can tell you’re having fun with this! Let’s keep it up! Cause I’m FAR from being done! I’ve still got you in my sights, VB!”
VB happened to glance over her shoulder, trilling loudly at just how close Michael was behind her, especially as they entered Limbo with much more wide open spaces, nothing she could use to try and trick or deter him.
All he could do was skate, skate as fast as he physically could, skate so quickly it absolutely shredded through his fuel supply, but he was entirely uncaring about that, as long as he still beat Michael in the race. He used every available speed boost in his arsenal, yet it still seemed as if Michael had no problems keeping up.
It was close though, uncomfortably close as they entered the streets of Lust, VB being forced to kick off the walls of buildings to dodge the few people still wandering around this late at night, Michael hot on their heels. VB skid through the streets, aiming right at the city center, and at the incredibly large library. They took a sharp turn, absolutely crashing through the door and skating into a table, the items cascading around them. They popped their head up for the rubble as Michael entered the door immediately after.
[YOU ARE REALLY FAST!!!!!!!! THAT WAS SO FUN!!!!!!!!]
It let itself lay back into the mess it created, laughing mechanically with its optic shut, wings clicking happily.
Michael quickly landed in front of you, not at all out of breath, he seemed both amused and slightly concerned upon seeing you pop your head out of the mess you made, there was just something so… childish yet familiar about it
“Damn, VB! I didn’t expect you to crash like that! Hope you didn’t break anything vital, cause that didn’t look fun, unless you enjoy crashing into objects. Which, I’m not one to judge!”
The eldest of the Archangels held back a chuckle before holding out his right hand, offering to help you up, this entire situation really did remind him of when he and his brothers would goof off in Heaven, eons ago
“Welp, since we’re here, grab on, I’ll help you up, you klutz. I swear… you’re quite the entertaining beast, you know that, VB? But yeah, this was fun! I haven’t done something like that in eons!”
VB wasn’t phased by the crash– they crashed into stuff all the time! It was just a byproduct of moving as fast as they did, sometimes, they would miscalculate where they needed to be, and crash into something. They had repaired more chips in their paint than they could count because of it.
[I AM OKAY– USED TO IT!]
He accepted the hand up, nearly being thrown to his feet by accident. He was quite small, and Michael was quite strong. He chirped anyways, glancing around the library for a moment before righting the table, and fixing the mess he made.
[YOU ARE VERY FAST, THAT WAS FUN!!!! WE SHOULD DO A RACE THROUGH ALL OF HELL, TOP TO BOTTOM. SEE WHO WINS!]
VB had always wanted to do a full race, she had heard other machines talk about it. It sounded exhilarating. Once the mess was cleaned up, she glanced back up at Michael, sweeping an arm out behind her. The library was entirely empty at this hour.
[WELCOME TO THE LUST LAYER CENTRAL LIBRARY!!! HOME TO BOOKS AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS GALORE.]
Michael couldn’t help but find your response amusing, a machine that’s so used to crashing into things… it honestly shouldn’t surprise him at this point, but he couldn’t deny that witnessing your complete lack of self control was just so interesting to him
“You truly are one of a kind, VB. I don’t think I’ve ever met a machine as intriguing as you, fuck… I just might take you up on that offer as well! I haven’t really gotten the chance to spread my wings and take flight like this in a long time!”
The eldest of the Archangels then turned his attention to the massive library, it honestly surprised him to see so many manuscripts, books, and… even some tomes! Some of these things looked like they belonged in the Tower of Babel! How they ended up in Hell, he’ll never know
“Hm, I must say, this is a very interesting and surprising amount of material… a few of these look like they came straight out of the Tower of Babel! Which I didn’t think was possible, impressive!”
VB's wings clicked a few times back and forth, clearly pleased with the praise. There was probably something buried in its programing that made it fond of praise, but VB was more a mechanics person, not digging around in its internal code very much.
[YOU SHOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT– GET OUT OF HEAVEN FOR AWHILE.]
Michael did seem like he needed a break from the stressors of Heaven. If he ever wanted to be in Hell instead, even just for a bit, as long as VB was tailing him he'd... probably go without being bothered. Probably.
VB was intimately familiar with the library– it had spent many times bouncing between the shelves, scanning through data and updating its internal database. It didn't seem to match the atmosphere, a chaotic machine like itself, but it loved the data.
[THERE IS A LOT HERE– KING MINOS CARES A LOT ABOUT KEEPING IT WELL PRESERVED. LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING.]
Michael thinks on your offer while also looking over rows of shelves, so many things here, he just couldn’t believe that they even existed in Hell to begin with, a pleasant surprise, one he welcomed with two sets of open arms
“I definitely will take you up on that offer, VB. It’s as you surmised, I’ve been stuck in Heaven, stressing out, for far too long now… being able to spread my wings and just let loose, fuck around, would be of great benefit.”
As the eldest of the Archangels spoke, he seemed to find a shelf that caught his attention, one that was filled with tomes, definitely from the Tower of Babel, he could tell just by the way they looked, and Michael hadn’t forgotten his original reason for being here, he needed that info
“Honestly, knowing King Minos, that doesn’t surprise me one bit. He always wants what’s best for everyone, I truly do admire his passion for keeping records, and… I’ve always felt horribly guilty… all of us Archangels do… he didn’t deserve that fate…”
VB’s wings perked up, and he made a happy trilling sound. He couldn’t wait to race Michael through Hell, he’d need to plan and try to find something to slow him down so that VB could win this time.
[GOOD. IT’LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. WE’RE ON!!!!]
She skated by Michael’s side as he looked over all the books. VB would break off on her own, but Michael already seemed to be drawn to the heavy tomes, and she was curious as to why. She hadn’t scanned that particular shelf before, it had never caught her eye other than being noted as old.
They looked slightly confused at mention of Minos’ fate, internal mechanisms clicking for a moment before processing what Michael meant by that.
[OH– YOU MEAN THE DEATH OF KING MINOS?]
He forgot that the kings die, he had learned it in other universes he hopped around to, but it wasn’t yet relevant information in his home universe, so he often didn’t really think about it.
[IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE YET. I FORGOT IT HAS HAPPENED IN MOST PLACES. IT IS STRANGE TO THINK HE COULD DIE.]
Michael turns to you, a sly smirk on his darkness shrouded face, he always loved challenges like this, it gave him a chance to spread his wings and truly let loose after such a long time of being indoors, he truly needed these things
“Haha! Oh I sure as Hell hope so, VB! Scheme all you want, there’s no outrunning me! As I’m sure you were able to see on our descent! No matter what you do, nothing will-“
He paused, Minos hadn’t died yet? How is such a thing possible? He saw both Gabriel and Seraph do it, so… that’s when it clicked in the mind of the eldest of the Archangels, a different universe… one where Minos, and by proxy, Sisyphus, had yet to die… he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang in his heart… you had yet to experience… everything…
“I see… VB, when… the inevitable fall of Lust does occur in your universe… although I know many will try to prevent it… I can only hope that they succeed this time around… feel free to seek me out for asylum… I’ll be there for you, no matter what, ok?”
VB looked at Michael carefully. He hadn’t interacted with anyone from a different universe than his own who seemed… upset about the death of Minos. Especially not an archangel like Michael. The shutters of his optic squinted slightly.
[WHY ARE YOU UPSET– DIDN’T HEAVEN CALL FOR HIS DEATH?]
That seemed to be the general consensus in other universes, at least. Minos would be killed on order from the Council, he’d be imprisoned, and his soul would form a prime soul, meaning he didn’t really die.
[IT SEEMS TO BE AN EVENT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, NOT SOMETHING PREVENTABLE. THOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFER, YOU ARE… VERY KIND.]
Its internal mechanisms made a few strange clicking sounds, a little flustered at how kind Michael was, considering VB had just met him.
Michael looks down, yes, the death of Minos was ordered by Heaven… but unfortunately you didn’t know the half of it… how so many of them tried to change the minds of… them… but nothing worked… it was always the same song and dance…
“Heaven did call for his death, VB, but… we tried so hard to fight back against The Council… those fuckers are so corrupt… they never listen to reason… they don’t care… Gabriel had no choice… they threatened him severely if he didn’t…”
The eldest of the Archangels let out a sigh as he tried to think of something else, but he just couldn’t, that event… there had to be some way to prevent it from happening once more… Minos didn’t deserve his fate… he deserved to live… same with Sisyphus…
“I’ll find a way to prevent it, VB… I don’t care what it takes… King Minos along with King Sisyphus deserve to live… in your dimension… their fates can be changed..! And… thank you, for the compliment, I appreciate it..!”
VB made a few small whirring sounds as he processed the information. The idea that many of the angels are actually against the Council changed… a lot in his database. It recontextualized quite a lot of actions.
[I THOUGHT THAT THE ANGELS LIKED THE COUNCIL– DO THEY NOT?]
Now he was incredibly curious about the politics of Heaven– he didn’t really talk to angels all that much, and especially not an archangel like Michael. He stepped closer, clicking his roller skates on and off. The deaths of Minos and Sisyphus were… admittedly not as big a deal to VB. He didn’t get the fuss if they’d just come back anyways.
[THEY COME BACK TO LIFE THOUGH. THEIR DEATH IS NOT A CHANGEABLE EVENT BUT NEITHER IS THEIR REBIRTH.]
If they would be reborn anyways, why was Michael so concerned about them dying in this world?
Michael knew he had to explain to you why so many in Heaven feared The Council… why they were worse than any and all demons he knew about… and why… their corruption had gone on for too long…
“It… may seem that way, VB, but… behind the scenes of what everyone sees, is nothing but horror… be it abuse… assault… cult like behavior… cannibalism… you name it… The Council is pure fucking evil… they make what takes place in Hell look like absolute paradise.”
At the mention of how the deaths and rebirths of both Minos and Sisyphus were all but inevitable events, the eldest of the Archangels took a breath, he knew this… and yet it still stung… horribly…
“The inevitably of both events can’t be avoided, I know but… that doesn’t mean that they deserve it… such things shouldn’t be decided on a whim… King Minos and King Sisyphus deserve to live… not suffer throughout every timeline… it’s… just not fair…”
VB’s lenses readjusted, making it look like his eye went wide. He… didn’t know that about the Council. It made a lot of sense, in hindsight, that they were a terrible group of people, but…
[WHY ARE THEY STILL IN POWER? YOU SAID CULT, BUT… YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR INFLUENCE, SURELY THERE ARE OTHERS TO HELP YOU OVERTHROW THEM?]
VB could…. help. It would probably be the last thing he ever did, but he’d be willing to try.
[I COULD HELP– BAD FIGHTER. BUT I COULD TRY.]
If what Michael said was true, VB wanted to help. They had to get rid of the Council so that the angels could have reform similar to that in Hell. It felt absurd that the layers of Hell had better government systems in place than… Heaven itself.
VB whirred slightly when Michael continued to talk. He… sounded incredibly guilty about their deaths, but VB didn’t understand still why. Sure, them not suffering would be great, but… they would still come back again. Perhaps VB didn’t need to understand why– they weren’t always the best with emotions.
[IF THE COUNCIL WAS GONE, PERHAPS THEY WOULDN’T DIE. NO ONE TO GIVE THE ORDER.]
Right… you didn’t know… Michael looked down, The Council… it didn’t matter what your ranking in Heaven was… be it lesser or Seraphim… they didn’t care… he hated it… so much… recalling everything… how the rot would never vanish…
“The Council… they don’t give two fucks about your ranking in Heaven… VB… it doesn’t matter if you’re a lesser angel or a Seraphim… they use and abuse you all the same… my brothers and I… even as Archangels… weren’t spared from their cruelty… we never were… and never will be…”
Upon hearing you not only bring up that you’d be willing to fight, but also how if The Council was gone, then Minos and Sisyphus wouldn’t die, such thoughts… the eldest of the Archangels wished they could become a reality, he truly did
“No matter how many times you kill them… they just keep reforming… the rot remains… an unending and disgusting cycle… a “holy” Ouroboros… King Minos and King Sisyphus… their deaths are all but assured in every timeline… and I hate it… so much…”
VB listened to everything Michael said intently, wings drooping down the longer he spoke. If there was seemingly no way to get rid of the Council, if their rule was an inevitable… how was any change ever supposed to be made? His systems whirred as he processed the information, trying to think of something to counter Michael, an idea to overthrow the Council entirely. He vented out air, sounding like a huffy sigh, when he couldn’t think of anything.
[…SORRY.]
It was all she could think to say, apologizing for the situation that Michael and the angels all seemed stuck in. It was a bizarre situation, that the angels had seemingly worse lives than those in Hell.
[DO YOU HAVE TO STAY IN HEAVEN? COULD YOU LEAVE?]
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but… if Michael and his siblings just moved to Hell instead, would that solve the problem? Or would the Council just extend their reach down here as well? They supposed it would be the latter, considering they had no problem killing both of the kings by proxy.
Michael could feel how much you wanted to find a solution for him and all the other angels that resided in Heaven… but what you didn’t account for was that some of the angels that resided there… were far from holy…
“I truly do still hold out a sliver of hope that things will change one day, VB, but… it’s been eons… and change has yet to come… Hell, there are some angels in Heaven who… don’t deserve to be there… those reprobates…”
The sol behind the eldest of the Archangels began to flicker as sparks fell to the floor, flammable, but luckily they didn’t ignite, he had control over them, for now at least… leaving Heaven for Hell… they tried once before… it… wasn’t pretty…
“Unfortunately me and my brothers can’t leave… At least not until Heaven completely falls apart… The Council’s reach is… horrifying… they’ll do anything and everything to ensure that we stay in line… like good little soldiers…”
VB was upset now, upset that there wasn’t a clear solution for her to give Michael that could help his situation. She didn’t want him to have to live under the thumb of the Council, it wasn’t fair. He deserved to live his life, far away from all of them. She was making an angry droning sound, clicking her skates on and off rapidly.
[IT IS NOT FAIR– YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THE COUNCIL PINNING YOU LIKE A BUG UNDER THEIR THUMB.]
They, unfortunately, were not surprised that all of Heaven’s angels were not, well, angels. With the Council as the ruling body of Heaven, it only made sense, that Heaven had angels that were… not the greatest. That only made them angrier, optic shutters narrowing into a squint as they continued to drone.
[HEAVEN IS STUPID. ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE NO BETTER THAN SINNERS IN HELL– WHAT IS THE POINT?]
There was no distinction in VB’s mind between the two– Heaven was just as bad. Especially with the more he head from Michael, he was certain that was the case.
Michael could easily tell just how upset you had become, and he couldn’t blame you… Heaven truly was worse than Hell… there wasn’t a way to argue against such a fact… especially when taken into account the most recent discoveries…
“I agree fully, VB, but… The Council won’t allow us to walk free… unless we want to experience abuse that’s far worse than what we endured before… those threats and scare tactics keep us in line…”
The eldest of the Archangels couldn’t help but think back to everything… it hurt him so much… he did all he could to ensure the safety of not only his brothers… but also those who truly didn’t deserve what was unleashed upon them…
“This information will frustrate you further, but… there are some angels that reside in Heaven who… think taking advantage of those who are weaker… more vulnerable… is perfectly fine and not a crime… two were recently killed… I aided in the death of one… he abused my daughter… but… one still remains… and he is beyond dangerous…”
VB just… didn’t understand. They didn’t understand, how could Heaven run successfully with a leadership model like the Council? What could they possibly do to keep an archangel like Michael in line? They supposed having angels that sided with them, that were just as terrible and manipulative as they were, probably helped bolster their control. Their wings were twitching with anger as they continued to make that droning, upset noise.
[ANGELS ARE NOT ABOVE ANYONE IN MORALITY– THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR HORRIBLE THINGS.]
It wasn’t enough. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the fact that there were angels so willing to take advantage of those weaker than them, it felt… opposite to everything she had read about angelic life. Though, she supposed, that was probably it. Readings were not equivalent to real life, lived experiences.
[I AM GLAD YOU AIDED IN THE DEATH OF ONE, BUT THE OTHER MUST DIE. LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.]
He was still stuck on that– he wanted the Council dead for Michael… even though it would probably spring back up in another form, at least it would be a respite from the hell.
Michael knew all too well what you meant, it frustrated him beyond belief… in Heaven, the angels were slaves to power… all the talk about righteousness was nothing but a front, there was nothing pure about Heaven…
“VB, at this point, The Council is above even The Father… he won’t be able to regain control of his own domain… they never stay dead… it’s so fucking disgusting…”
The eldest of the Archangels felt a bit of pride upon hearing you praise him for aiding in the death of Graphiel, but he understood why the other one… why he needed to die as well… but with all the info he now had… such a task would be…
“Thank you, for your praise, I appreciate it, however… killing the other one… from what I was able to gather… it’s practically impossible… he’s a fallen Seraphim… the highest ranking angel just below The Father… Seraphim are extremely hard to kill…”
VB didn’t like any of that information. He wasn’t a big follower of God or anything, but it… didn’t seem possible that he would be overpowered by the Council on his return. That… wasn’t how Heaven was supposed to work, it didn’t make any sense.
The more Michael talked about Heaven, and the angels in it, the more thankful VB became that they weren’t angelic in the slightest. Fuck that.
[PERHAPS OVERTHROWING THE COUNCIL RIGHT AFTER THE RETURN OF GOD WOULD DO IT. WEAKEN THEN ENOUGH TO GET RID ENTIRELY.]
It probably wouldn’t work, especially considering the angels that Michael said resided in Heaven. And that some of them couldn’t be killed… it was absolutely infuriating. VB glanced around the library for a moment. Maybe Michael just… hadn’t found how to kill a Seraphim yet. Maybe his answer was hidden somewhere in the extensive library, tucked away among all the other books.
[BUT THEY ARE KILLABLE. THEY ARE NOT IMMORTAL– IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HOW.]
A short yellow machine, akin to a V-model, made its way through the streets of Lust, seemingly not paying attention to its surroundings. The moment it could be caught on your optic, however, it darted away, seeming to disappear into an alleyway. It was mostly quiet, but a soft set of clicks and beeps could be heard.
( @prototype-vx )
When VB heard the noise, it was instinctive to chase after it. Not to attack, or for any negative purposes, but to get a closer look, to investigate, to learn. She activated her skates, moving into the alleyway quickly, almost crashing into the other V-model.
[HELLO!!!]
Their voicebox trilled happily after speaking. He didn't seem too concerned about almost crashing into the other, or whether they were a threat or not.
V-X practically screeched, jumping back in a way not to different from a cat. However once they were more stable, they stood up properly and looked at the other machine, hesitating before waving. Their blade arm stayed idle at their side, indicating that they had no intention to fight.
They observed the other, identifying it as a V-model. So another machine based on their own programming. Wonderful.
V-X felt no animosity however, their head tilting to the side a bit. This machine didn’t seem to want to fight, but they could never be too careful.
VB clicked their skates away, getting close to V-X in order to scan them, lenses clicking into place. She waved as she completed the scan, clearly happy to meet someone new.
When the scan was complete, the lenses clicked back, and VB projected the scan of V-X next to him, the hologram spinning around idly.
[WHO ARE YOU? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU BEFORE]
VB clearly had no weapons in sight. It was unlikely that the machine even had violence on its mind on a regular basis
V-X was startled by the other machine suddenly coming close, but was still not on edge. It was clear that they didn’t mean any harm, they had no weapons on them, but it didn’t stop the smaller machine from being a bit spooked.
Her attention moved to the hologram, tilting her head to the side as she observed it. That was far newer technology than she was expecting.
When asked about her identity she pointed to the slightly worn out lettering of her designation on her chest before signing.
“I stay hidden at most times. I have not seen you before either.”
V-X nodded, acknowledging the other machine’s name. They felt relieved as the hologram went away, oddly disturbed by it. They shrugged at the last answer.
“Not only here. Travel through Hell, mostly for fuel.”
They paused for a moment before deciding to sign once again.
“I like Limbo though. Lots of flowers.”
Albeit fake flowers. They didn’t mind this, though.
VB chirped, clicking her skates on and off again, letting the wheels appear and disappear, seemingly more used to moving fast then standing around and talking.
[SO DO I! I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD SETTLING DOWN.]
They made a drone-like hum, considering the statement. Limbo was... aesthetically pretty, especially the flowers, but it was so... normal. Attempting to be human.
“Gluttony is wet. Too warm. Too soft. But it is not the worst, better than Wrath.”
V-X chittered, similar to a laugh. In reality, they loved Wrath, but only aesthetically. Not being waterproof really made traversing the layer quite…difficult.
“Limbo reminds me of Earth. Pictures I saw of it.”
Being created in the midst of the Final War led to the machine not having a perfect knowledge of Earth’s previous state, but having seen it in many pictures and films their creator had shown them. They always yearned to run their hands through real flowers.
[WRATH DOES NOT HAVE A LOT IN IT. FERRYMAN IS INTERESTING THOUGH!]
VB wished that he had more samples taken of Heresy, but really he could only sample the sea itself. It just… wasn’t in Wrath all that often. He nodded at V-X’s description of Limbo.
[LIMBO IS VERY HUMAN. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE YOU WOULD LIKE IT.]
VB did… not like it, but it was no use to try and convince V-X to change their mind on something as silly as favorite location in Hell.
[GLUTTONY HAS SO MANY STRANGE FORMATIONS TO SCAN AND SAMPLE. HELL IS FASCINATING.]
“You are from the New Peace, correct? Not created during war?”
V-X signed, in response to the supposed indifference from the other machine toward humanity, and Earth. At the continued mention of Gluttony, they whirred, nodding
“Very interesting. Reminds me of human insides. Seen too much of that.”
A memory of mangled corpses after their escape popped up. Not a pleasant one.
[CREATED FOR EXPLORATION! HUMANITY WANTED ME TO EXPLORE HELL AND MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO GET MATERIALS AFTER THE WAR.]
She... hadn't been entirely aware that humanity had entirely perished until awhile into her time in hell. Contact was lost with the surface much sooner into his expeditions then predicted, and he assumed that something on him was just broken, and that he should continue his directive until he could get in contact again.
[IT DOES LOOK LIKE HUMAN ENTRAILS– BUT IT IS ALL HELL'S CREATION! FASCINATING AND STRANGE.]
“That makes sense. You do not seem to have been built for combat.”
V-X did not intend to initiate in combat in the first place, but even so they had been reassured by the fact that the other machine did not seem to be armed.
“I never saw the New Peace. Only know humans from war.”
While this statement implied they felt animosity towards humans, it was quite the opposite. There was nothing that they admired more than humanity.
Upon hearing VB’s thoughts on Gluttony, thoughts of their last visit to the layer popped up. It was quite fascinating, yes, but it brought up…unsavory feelings. Feelings they shouldn’t even be capable of having.
She shook her head. Her abilities in combat were startlingly terrible, really only able to fight well enough to refuel or protect samples.
[BAD FIGHTER. I HAVE WEAPONS, GUNS AND A KNIFE, BUT I DON’T USE THEM.]
He peered curiously at V-X’s arm. They clearly were made for combat, and it was incredibly interesting. VB knew that his line was made originally for war, but he had never seen it. Probably for the best.
[HUMANS WERE INTERESTING. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENJOYED HELL, BUT NOT APPRECIATED IT.]
Humanity couldn’t have spent the hours that VB had moving through the layers, collecting data and samples and information. They would have just collected materials from it, taken what they wanted and destroyed this curious place. VB knew they wouldn’t have appreciated its curiosities the way they should have. It knew why it was created, after all.
V-X signed in response, whirring softly. As much as she admired the organic form of humans, and all that it encompassed, she could still admit the flaws of humanity. No species is flawless, but for humans…there were far too many to count.
“To take and abandon.”
She was abandoned. Her blueprints and code stolen to make more machines, while she was left to die. Humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds.
V-X shook her head a bit, in an attempt to take her mind off of the topic.
VB was quiet and still for a small moment after that, a bizarre look for the incredibly hyper machine.
[….I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD. HUMANITY’S PENCHANT FOR ABANDONMENT.]
He hoped that they had looked for him, once he dropped off the radar entirely. He had a sneaking suspicion, though, that wasn’t the case, that he had been abandoned too. She shook it off physically, wingblades fluttering slightly as she did.
[ANYWAYS!!! WHAT DO YOU DO NOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A DIRECTIVE?]
V-X nodded at the first statement, wishing that they had the pleasure of not thinking about it. Though, in a way, their corrupted data did aid in forgetting ever so slightly.
At the second statement they shrugged, chittering in a manner similar to a laugh.
“Feed. And wander. Enjoy things I could not enjoy on Earth.”
They walked away for a moment, finding a small planter of flowers. They picked a few, the plastic stems between their fingers. They walked back over to VB, chittering again before tucking the flowers into a small gap in their chest plate.
“Like flowers. They’re synthetic, but close enough to real.”
After they finished signing, they grabbed the flowers again, outstretching their arm out to VB, as if wanting to give him the flowers.
VB chirped when the flowers were extended towards him, as if not expecting the gift. Gently, he took them, lenses clicking out to scan the bundle, even though she had scanned individual flowers before. She opened the cooled compartment in her stomach, and placed the flowers in there for safe keeping.
[FLOWERS ARE A GOOD THING TO ENJOY– PRETTY.]
They didn’t have anything comparable, not really, but–
They dug around in one of their wingblades for a moment, hands skimming over the many, many things they had stored in there and subsequently forgotten about. Eventually, they closed their hand around the item they wanted, and pulled it out.
It was a small packet of seeds for a human flower– Carnations, clearly incredibly old. VB held it out, intending for V-X to take it.
[THEY ARE FROM EARTH. I NEVER PLANTED THEM, DON’T KNOW IF THEY WOULD SURVIVE HERE. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN TRY?]
V-X beeped happily when the other took the flowers, tilting her head a bit. Her mannerisms weren’t much different from a dog’s, filled with curiosity and easy to excite. She nodded in agreement, whirring softly as VB spoke.
She tilted her head to the side once again when VB began searching through their wings, practically lighting up at the site of the seeds. She had no clue how they could’ve even possibly held on to these, but-
V-X didn’t hesitate. They reached out, quickly snatching the seeds from VB’s hand and observing the packet. The seed packet was from the New Peace, production of products like these were completely ceased during the war. They were useless, after all.
Once she had a moment to look it over she set the seeds down by her feet to sign.
“Thank you. I will try.”
Despite the blunt nature of their words, it was clear from their expression just how excited this gift made them.
VB also had the mannerisms of a dog, but they were a much more... hyperactive one in comparison to V-X, curious to a fault. Her wings twitched happily, trilling at V-X's excitement at the seeds. VB herself hadn't had the time, or the... patience... to plant the flowers. They hoped that the seeds would work for V-X
[THEY ARE WHITE CARNATIONS– IF YOU CUT THE FLOWERS AND PUT THEM IN COLORED WATER, THEY ACQUIRE THE COLOR.]
He cycled his wings through a few color gradient presets, before settling back on their usual red color. They had records of a few experiments of that nature, usually involving [food coloring] and [cut white carnations].
[I HOPE THEY GROW FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MORE PATIENCE AND WILL APPRECIATE THEM MORE.]
V-X nodded as the other machine spoke, tucking the packet of seeds into the small gap in their chest plate that previously held the flowers. They chittered happily afterward, trying to contain their excitement.
“I am not patient. But I will try.”
This was a new thing they discovered within Hell. They had gained the ability to be inpatient. They were not programmed for this, they were not programmed for most of the emotions they felt, but something had changed during their time traversing the layers. They didn’t know why, or how, but it had.
V-X’s attention shifted from the flowers for a moment to VB’s wings, observing them for a moment before signing again.
“Your wings. They are unique. Are they just for storage?”
Wings weren’t included in her own model, not seen as necessary for her purpose. Must’ve been a later addition.
VB trilled again, before making a noise that was clearly supposed to be a laugh. It liked V-X, they were funny, and good company. Perhaps he would try and hang around the other machine more, now that he knew of their existence.
[IF YOU ARE NOT PATIENT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MAKES ME.]
VB could barely sit still for three seconds, and definitely not for long enough to grow flowers successfully. There were so many other things they could learn about in that time.
Their wings twitched again, clicking closer together and flared out a few times for display, before cycling through colors again, bathing the area around them in colored light.
[MOSTLY FOR STORAGE– I CAN GLIDE WITH THEM, BUT I AM FASTER ON THE GROUND.]
Her legs were more powerful than her wings were, armed with all sorts of technology to make her move as fast as physically possible. She could glide pretty far, but needed to get her speed on the ground.
[STORE MOSTLY SAMPLES OR INTERESTING THINGS. SOME WEAPONS BUT NOT REALLY IN USE.]
Patience was something so inherently human to V-X. The ability to stay in one spot, to rest, to hold back from focusing all attention to a directive. It was foreign to them. But that was changing too. No longer was their primary directive necessary, nor is the search for fuel their only driving force. Maybe they would find a place of the flowers, and maybe they would be able to sit and watch them grow. To bring forth new life from soil...is that how their creator felt? Creating life from bits and scraps?
V-X was quickly pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of the changing colors, whirring softly in amazement. She nodded, chirping in response.
"They are beautiful. Not necessary for my directive, so I did not receive them. Most likely added with the prototype after me."
But she wished she could have a pair of wings like those. Amongst many other things.
VB clicked her skates on and off repeatedly, a little habit of hers whenever she was sitting still for too long, a buzzing instinct to move, to *run*, no matter how calm and content with the situation she was.
[YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF WINGS. SMALLER MACHINES ARE EASIER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, WOULDN’T TAKE MUCH.]
He started digging around in his wingblades again, pulling out a few thick manuals, one of which was clearly his own manual and blueprints. He… probably shouldn’t be just giving these out.
[MY MANUAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER V-MODELS WITH BETTER WINGS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY.]
She had not tried to add anything to herself, but that was just because she was not the most creative machine. What would they even add– more storage space?
V-X let out another excited series of clicks, similar to before, at the mention of creating their own wings. While it would be difficult, and they had no clue how to do it…it was possible.
They peered over the manual and blueprints, not exactly grabbing them but scanning them over. The blueprints looked oh so familiar, reminding the smaller machine of the days they’d observe their programmer’s late nights at her desk, her hair messy and glasses strewn upon the table as she slept. They were always fascinated by her dedication to her work, her dedication to them.
But if she was so dedicated, why did she abandon you?
…fixing their corrupted data was both a blessing and a curse.
V-X pushed aside those thoughts, nodding and looking up from the papers.
“May be possible. I have worked on myself before.”
She pointed to one of her legs, which appeared to have been stolen from a Streetcleaner.
“Would not be impossible now. But I am unsure of its use for me.”
VB shrugged. If it had any more patience, it would absolutely start tinkering with things on its body. It could reliably take itself apart and put itself back together again (an experiment conducted in its early days in Hell), but it just… did things for the curiosity of it, usually.
[FOR FUN. FOR STORAGE. TO LOOK DIFFERENT. LOTS OF REASONS FOR WINGS.]
She skated around behind V-X, trying to get a good look at their back, since the wings would have to connect in there.
[PROBABLY JUST NEED A FEW CONNECTION PORTS INSTALLED, AND A WINGPACK BUILT. THE PROGRAMMING WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE CODE SAMPLES IN MY DATABASE.]
She skated back in front of V-X, wobbling her head side to side in some sort of emotion.
[IF NOT INTERESTED, MAKE SOMETHING ELSE! CREATE SOMETHING NEW FOR CURIOSITY. GOOD DIRECTIVE TO HAVE.]
V-X let out a started squeak as they watched VB move around them, trying their hardest to keep their eye on it. This proved more difficult than it seemed, but luckily this was only temporary, as VB moved back to the front. V-X centered themself once again, a small part of their programing flashing out, as if detecting a threat. Great, another faulty piece of machinery.
She thought about what VB was saying, however. She was interested in the wings, she was even more interested in...other sorts of modifications, but it would not aid her directive. As much as Hell had influenced her over time, her primary directives still stuck deep inside her.
[FEED.]
[BE GOOD.]
That was it. No room for negotiation. But as to not completely shut down the other machine, V-X decided to state their thoughts less harshly.
"I will consider it. Customizations do not serve my directives, but they may in the future. Thank you."
The thankfulness was genuine, however bland their sign may have seemed.
VB didn’t seem offended in the slightest, chirping slightly as her optic shuttered in a slight smile.
[KEEP THE MANUALS. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE ALL IN MY DATABASE ANYWAYS.]
The physical copies were sometimes nice to refer back to, especially with the chaos of VB’s database system, but he had it all saved, V-X could take one and he’d be fine without it.
She did a quick check over of all her systems, flipping through different tabs with her fans cranked to max, before her optic refocused on V-X.
[HOW DOES YOUR FUEL GAUGE WORK?]
It was an out of left field question, but looking at their own internal gauges got them curious.
V-X nodded, taking one of the manuals and shoving it in another open gap in their chest plate. Maybe they did need some sort of storage. It was getting way too cluttered.
At the question, she tilted her head a bit as she thought.
"It shows up as a digital pop-up in my vision. Same as yours?"
She whirred a bit after signing, before deciding to check her own fuel levels. Most likely they were fine, but it might be good to check in case...
[FUEL LEVELS AT 10%. RE-FUEL IMMEDIATELY.}
Oh shit.
V-X squeaked out of alarm at the sight of the pop-up. How she didn't get an error message before was beyond her knowledge. Maybe something had gone wrong when that scientist(?) fixed her data corruption? She wasn't very sure, but she immediately started to visibly panic. There were no husks nearby, and she couldn't just ask VB for fuel-
VB shook her head. That would be much easier, and less difficult to ignore. Though... she would probably ignore it anyways even if it was a popup that took over all her vision.
[NO POPUPS– IT IS ON THE BASE LEVEL OF MY INTERNAL VISION. HAVE TO LOOK MANUALLY]
It was, quite possibly, the worst possible system for a machine like him– scatterbrained, and incredibly distractible. Half of the time it lead to moments where he nearly shut down, and had to kill the nearest thing in a messy, desperate grapple to refuel enough to get back down to Fraud.
She whirred when V-X squeaked, head tilting to the side as she looked over V-X critically, wings flaring a slightly brighter red with her alarm.
V-X immediately shook her head at at the offer. 38% was low as well!! Anything under 40% could risk shutdown...
For her, at least. The realization of how outdated her model was proceeded to hit her like a truck.
She went over all of the possible solutions, but sharing with VB seemed the most viable for the moment. As much as she didn't want to impose, she was already risking a full shutdown as it was.
V-X hesitantly nodded after, a whirr similar to a sigh escaping their vents.
VB made a little happy trill at their acceptance, unsure as to how V-X fed but willing to do whatever they needed.
[PERFECTLY FINE– I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH! 38% IS HIGH!]
Once again, she held out her open arm to V-X, exposing her fuel lines in a motion that would absolutely be considered incredibly vulnerable. V-X could seriously hurt, or kill her with her fuel lines exposed like that. But VB wasn't scared in the slightest– she was getting to help them!
V-X looked at the exposed fuel lines, a small panel on their wrist automatically opening. Underneath the panel lay a large needle, which was unfortunately their only way of extracting blood.
They slowly got closer, their "mind" buzzing with thoughts. Machines were not immune to bloodlust. They were not immune to hunger. V-X was no different. A deeper, more instinctual part of their programming urged them to engage in combat. VB was completely defenseless, and V-X was consistently armed. There was a little to none chance of losing.
But they pushed against it, finally working up the courage to walk forward and quickly jab the needle into one of the tubes. They watched their fuel meter as they refueled, it going up at a painfully slow rate. Once they were at 20%, however, they quickly pulled the needle back again. 18% was still quite low for VB, but any more could have possibly damage the other machine. 20% was enough, for now at least
"You are at 18%. That is low. You need to refuel as well."
VB sat remarkably still while V-X refuelled from them, being careful not to squirm around even though sitting still was a particular kind of torture for them. They watched their own fuel meter tick down slowly, head tilting slightly when V-X pulled away after only taking themself down to 18%.
[IT IS NOT LOW– YOU CAN TAKE MORE IF YOU NEED IT.]
As long as he had… 5% or so, he’d be fine, it’d leave him enough to get to his next meal, whether it be a filth, or ideally a puppet from a deathcatcher.
[WANT YOU TO HAVE WHAT YOU NEED.]
She stubbornly didn’t close the panel on her arm, genuinely confused as to why V-X had left her with so much fuel when they needed it. 18% was over half of what she usually had, it was fine.
V-X tilted her head in confusion, sitting down in front of VB to get at direct eye level with him.
"18% is low. No matter how modern your model is. And 20% is enough for me, for now. I will not take more."
They way she signed, along with her optic practically squinting, showed how serious she was on the topic. She was dead set on her opinion.
"I can assist you to another layer. We can both fully refuel. It is necessary for both of us."
She needed more blood, but so did VB. She didn't say this, but even if they protested, she'd take them to another layer whether they liked it or not. She was very persistent.
VB made a sound incredibly close to a huff, clicking her panel shut and glaring at V-X. It was ridiculous to her that they needed to go get more fuel, especially when VB had enough to get V-X stable.
[18% IS NOT LOW. IT IS OVER HALF OF WHAT I USUALLY HAVE. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER LAYER TO REFUEL.]
Still, he stood up, clicking his skates on and holding out a hand to help V-X up as well. His performance didn't seem impeded by having lower fuel levels. He had a feeling they wouldn't take no for an answer, as huffy as he was about it.
V-X insisted, but they eventually noticed that VB seemed to have given up and agreed. They took his hand, pulling themself up. Standing up with only one hand was a lot more difficult than it looked, so they appreciated the aid.
The moment VB mentioned going to Fraud, V-X practically lit up, chatting and nodding excitedly. It was incredibly clear just how happy this made them. Most machines hated Fraud, but V-X adored the layer. They finally got to be the center of attention.
They eventually managed to calm themself a bit to sign.
VB was happy that V-X was happy with its choice of layer– VB found Fraud fascinating, even though it preferred Gluttony more for samples. Plus, it had Deathcatchers, so VB could refuel.
[LET’S GO THEN!!!]
She undid her skates after a moment, continuing to hold V-X’s hand. Any annoyance at having to refuel seemed to be lost as VB pulled V-X along towards Fraud, not skating so that the other machine could keep up with her.
V-X chirped in response, quickly following behind VB as she held their hand. They had been to Fraud a multitude of times, the layer being the one they re-visited the most often, but being able to go with a companion felt…different. A different type of joy.
As the two plummeted down the hell elevator, the excitement grew even more for the smaller machine. They had been itching for some good bloodshed, and to show off their combat skills in front of VB- it was perfect! A perfect array of scenarios, lining up all at once.
VB landed hard at the bottom of the hell elevator, the stabilizers in her legs keeping her steady on the landing, looking over at V-X in excitement. VB was equally as excited, but not for bloodshed, instead for getting to see what changes Hell would pull on the layer today.
[WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? I NEED TO FIND A DEATHCATCHER TO REFUEL.]
VB still wasn’t really planning on refuelling, but perhaps a puppet would satisfy V-X’s bizarre need to see him refuelled. He was thrilled at having a companion, even if they wanted him to refuel to full for some reason.
VB nodded, willing to follow V-X wherever they thought was best. It... was a little bit nervous about engaging with combat in anything, fully planning on hiding behind V-X or running for its life if it got into a bad situation, like a fight.
[PUPPETS ARE FINE FOR ME THANKS. BAD FIGHTER. THEY ARE EASIER AND ENOUGH FUEL.]
The puppets could barely hurt him in the first place, plus VB was well known among many of the Deathcatchers, and they reanimated puppets that could barely move for him to feed off of. He knew V-X was good in a fight, and could absolutely get something good to refuel from for themself, but no thank you for VB.
[LETS EXPLORE, BUT IF SOMETHING ATTACKS US I'M HIDING BEHIND YOU.]
V-X signed in response, giving a thumbs up before taking VB’s hand once again and yanking them forward. She enthusiastically bolted through the entrance to the layer, dragging VB along with her.
Once they were in, the atmosphere immediatly shifted beneath their feet, an area resembling an office building surrounding them now. V-X came to an abrupt stop, chirping excitedly.
“Hell is good to us today. Many Deathcatchers here.”
While it wasn’t her favorite of the forms Fraud took (she was quite partial to the mimicry of space), it was a fortunate find.
She took V-X’s hand once again, starting to walk forward, though she forced herself to move significantly slower than before.
VB let herself get happily dragged, excited as to what Fraud would give them. She was thrilled when the office building appeared, knowing that there were always a lot of Deathcatchers around. She pulled away upon seeing one, running up to it quickly. Nothing around them had been killed, yet the Deathcatcher still pulsed, before a puppet of a filth appeared a few short feet away from them.
VB walked up to it, struggling to run as it was, and quickly got it onto the ground, opening the arm panel with the feeding needles in it and getting set up to feed. He looked up at V-X, and his shutter squinted at them in a smile.
[HELL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US– NOW I AM ALL SET! WE CAN EXPLORE ONCE I AM DONE.]
They watched as their fuel gauge slowly crept up, bouncing their leg impatiently.
V-X moved over and watched them, nodding. Thor foot tapped against the floor, not to rush VB, but just out of pure anticipation.
They could’ve refueled from the Deathcatcher too, but they chose against it. While they did need more fuel, they were also itching for a fight. Hopefully Hell would provide in the next room.
“Take till your gauge is full. Not just a little.”
That wasn’t up for debate. If VB filled their gauge to 100%, then he wouldn’t have to refuel so soon. It just made the most sense to V-X.
VB sat incredibly impatiently, watching their fuel gauge slowly, slowly move up.
FUEL LEVEL: 19%
FUEL LEVEL: 20%
FUEL LEVEL: 21%
FUEL LEVEL: 22%
…
FUEL LEVEL: 30%
VB bounced up from the puppet, which splattered on the floor the second she ripped the needles out of it’s body, quickly shoving all her feeding supplies away to skate over to V-X, doing a little loop around them with a small wave at the Deathcatcher.
[FULLY FUELLED– LETS GO!!!]
They skated towards the door to the next room, holding V-X’s hand to pull them along too.
V-X squinted at VB, highly suspicious of the idea that they were actually fully fueled. However, she didn’t have any time to protest as her hand was immediatly taken by VB as they moved along to the next room.
Once they entered they were faced with multiple husks and machines alike, V-X practically squealing with delight. They turned to VB, pushing her back a little before signing.
“I got this. Stay back.”
Without another word they ran forward, their speed incredibly impressive for an older model. They moved from husk to machine at a dizzying pace, only a blur of their form being seen as they slashed and cut their way through each attack. It was more like a meticulously choreographed dance than a battle, each step and action being calculated and precise, with an added dramatic flair.
Not after long, the ground was littered with the corpses of various husks, along with a few streetcleaners. V-X turned back to face VB, their shutter squinting up into a sort of smile and their form covered in blood. Too bad they couldn’t absorb it automatically.
“You need more fuel. Take more. There is more than enough for me.”
They motioned to a few of the filths that lay on the floor before crouching down above a stray, the needle poking out from their wrist and stabbing into the husk.
VB had already jumped back upon seeing the machines and husks in the room, skates clicked out and wings up to flee, but she slowly relaxed upon seeing V-X move through the room like a blur.
V-X.
Was.
AMAZING.
VB couldn’t believe anyone could move that fast while also fighting, and V-X seemed to know exactly how to fight everything they came across so easily, it was baffling.
VB was not a fighter, hated having to fight and kill, but V-X just looked so… cool while doing it.
VB was trilling so loudly by the time V-X was finished, wings clicking in and out loudly in his excitement.
[THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!! YOU MOVED SO FAST!!!]
They skated over to V-X’s side, stopping short when they mentioned getting more fuel, looking around at the bodies on the ground.
Ah.
They were going to have to–
Ah.
They made a nervous little sound, wings clicking loudly as they looked away.
V-X loudly chittered in response to the praise, reluctantly sitting still as they refueled. If they had a tail, it would be wagging at full speed. Now, both directives were being filled. They are gaining fuel, and are receiving applause for their work. Their programming was beyond satisfied.
"I was a little rusty, but thank you."
It took a lot of strength for them to be humble in their response, yet they did. Somehow.
[30%]
[40%]
[50%]
At this point, the blood ran out from the specific stray, a whirr of frustration coming from V-X as they pivoted to a nearby filth and stabbed the needle back in. They watched VB freeze up, squinting again at the other machine as she said she was at 100%. They didn't believe that for a second.
VB shook her head, clearly disagreeing with V-X's assessment of their performance. They hadn't looked rusty when they were moving like a blur around the room, when they managed to kill everything within moments when VB would have gotten her ass handed to her by the first Stray she came across. It was impressive.
[WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU WARMED UP THEN]
He was well and truly caught in regards to refuelling though, rolling back and forth in place on his skates as he avoided eye contact. He didn't usually need to lie, of course he was a bad liar, but perhaps–
He pinged V-X with a screenshot of his internal fuel gauge.
...
It was a mess of popups, tabs, and files, but through all of it VB's internal statistics could barely be made out...
V-X clicked in response to the first statement, nodding. She would be delighted to show off even more. That would be something to keep in mind for the future.
With the ping, she paused, taking the needle out of the filth to focus. She was at 80%, it was fine for now.
She looked over the stats, somehow even more suspicious now. Oops.
V-X turned back to face VB again, squinting even more if possible.
"You are not helping your case. The pop-ups are conveniently placed"
She "sighed", standing up to be at eye level with VB, or at least close to it.
"If you continue constantly functioning on a lower fuel level you will get damaged. It is not sustainable or safe."
Despite how blunt her sign was, it was clear she cared.
VB made a huffing sound, twirling around in a little, antsy circle, clearly wanting to get moving and exploring instead of standing around, doing nothing.
[THOSE POP-UPS HAVE BEEN THERE. BESIDES, IT IS PRACTICALLY 100% FOR MY SYSTEMS ANYWAYS.]
She shrugged slightly. It wasn't a big deal, really, she ran on what other machines considered low fuel constantly, and she didn't get damaged or shut down.
[I FUNCTION FINE. MY FUEL LEVELS ARE ACCEPTABLE.]
They were still... not actually saying the percentage out loud, they had a feeling V-X would have more things to say about that.
V-X was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, confused on why VB wouldn't just fuel more. There was no reason to be so stubborn, so why??
"If your fuel levels are acceptable, why do you refuse to tell me what they are?"
They quickly signed, their foot starting to tap on the floor out of agitation. They weren't angry, it took quite a lot to make them angry, but...they were concerned.
[...IT SOUNDS BAD TO OTHER MACHINES, APPARENTLY. SEEMS FINE TO ME.]
VB thought it was perfectly fine to run on 30%, not a big deal in the slightest, but whenever she brought it up to other machines, even in passing, she always had someone telling her that it was way too low, even though she was clearly functioning fine on it.
V-X froze. 30%? In what world was that acceptable? How did VB even manage to consistently run on 30%?
They paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to sign. Best to choose their words carefully.
“30% is low. You may not feel it now but it will catch up to you. Your body will erode without proper fuel to all parts.”
Their gaze shifted from VB to the scattered corpses on the ground.
“I do not mean to police you. I understand your hesitation to kill. But I have killed. And now you can go past your own limit. There is nothing stopping you from filling to 100%, so why do you not?”
“It is the bare minimum. Not good. But I can not force you to go beyond it.”
As frustrating as it was, V-X understood that she could not make VB accept more blood, that choice was entirely in its own hands. But she also understood the annoyance of staying still… it got on her nerves as well.
Until she got an idea.
“It is quicker to transfer blood from one machine to another. Let me refuel to 100% and I can give some to you. Would not get you to 100% but at least 70%.”
She hoped they would at least consider this option. They had already given her blood, it was only fair she returned the favor.
VB was still a little… squirmy at the offer. Hypothetically, it hit all the boxes. Refuelling faster, refuelling to closer to full than they had been in… longer than they could remember, refuelling with relatively fresh blood instead of recycled Deathcatcher puppet blood… it seemed perfect on paper.
…So why was VB still freaked out by the thought?
Was it that they had gone so long running at low? Would they be able to return to their ways afterwards? Or would they have to refuel almost to full every time they refuelled?
They felt strange at the thought, on edge and freaked out over… refuelling?
[…I WOULD HATE TO WASTE OUR TIME. WE COULD EXPLORE INSTEAD?]
One last ditch attempt to get V-X to drop it, but they were persistent, and if they pushed it, VB would cave.
"I am offering. It is not a burden on me to help you."
V-X was being honest, they were not one to lie. In the meantime, they located another filth, piercing their needle into the flesh as their tank fueled to 100%. Once they were done, they faced VB once again to sign.
"I will not force you. But it is not a waste of time."
To them, if anything, this saved time. They knew VB had said that he usually functioned just fine on the low tank, but the thought of a sudden malfunction....it was too much of a risk. Better safe than sorry.
VB continued squirming, fidgeting in place and not really looking at V-X, before making a mechanical sigh. She clicked open her intake panel, fishing out the needle and tubing, waiting for V-X to get set up on their end. Hopefully they could make this quick, perhaps VB could only take about 40% or 50% and V-X would be satisfied–
[...THANK YOU.]
VB felt bad. They were wasting time that they could be spending moving through Fraud, seeing what they could find, having so much fun, and instead they had to sit and refuel... VB made a note, somewhere off to the side, to not mention their fuel levels again around V-X, to avoid this having to happen.
V-X just nodded in response, the usual panel with the needle in her wrist opening up at first before another panel above it opened, exposing the tubing that snaked up her arm. She moved up to VB, motioning to the tubing with her head as she held out her arm, before quickly signing first.
"Take till 70%. Should not take long. I can refuel back to 100% in the next room."
She went back to holding her arm out, staring at VB as she waited.
VB quickly inserted her own needle into the tubing, trying to stay still as her fuel meter began ticking up. It was faster, yes, the blood didn't have to be as heavily filtered since it went through V-X's systems first, but it was still slow enough to make VB antsy, tapping her foot on the floor as she looked around.
[IT IS NICE YOU CAN OPEN YOUR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY. ALL MINE NEED TO BE PRIED OPEN.]
He knew why– it would be hard to open panels with one arm. But it was still... neat.
...
He was fishing for conversation topics, anything to keep him from losing his mind with boredom as he refueled to...
V-X nodded, unable to sign as their blood was being taken. Various noises came from the machine as they waited, from chirps to clicks to beeps. They didn't convey much, but...it was background noise.
V-X had a feeling VB would try and avoid fueling to 70%, practically glaring a hole into his optic. They squinted a bit, relatively suspicious.
VB looked nothing short of a dog caught doing something they really weren’t supposed to do. The rings of their optic readjusted over and over, looking guiltily between V-X and the floor.
FUEL GAUGE: 49%
…
FUEL GAUGE: 50%
VB chirped, but it sounded slightly strained, if that was possible for a machine.
[ALL GOOD.]
They started disconnecting their tubing from VX, shoving it back into their arm.
VB's optic refocused again, and he looked away guiltily at being effectively caught. He wasn't... trying to annoy V-X with being stubborn, with not wanting to refuel all the way up to 70% he just... didn't need it. It was a waste of time, and V-X could use the fuel more.
[SssSSORRY.]
Her voice glitched out as she spoke, not moving from her spot on the floor. She didn't want to upset V-X, she wanted to be... friends. VB didn't move from her spot on the floor, toying with the edge of her intake panel as her wings drooped slightly. She wasn't expecting to feel *bad* about this– she didn't like refueling! She had a system that worked! There was no reason to feel bad–
V-X turned to face VB, pausing for a moment before sitting down next to him.
"No apologies are necessary."
They saw his demeanor, immediately picking up what seemed to be...guilt. Shit. The last thing they wanted was for VB to feel bad. They cursed themself mentally before starting to sign again.
"Only fuel further if you want to. You never need to do anything you do not want to do. Not now, not ever. Do not worry about hurting my feelings."
You never need to do anything you do not want to do.
That's not how it worked for machines of war. No machine asked to be built, to be forced to fight in a war they had no place in, to be programmed with insatiable bloodlust that only combat can cure. But VB had a choice. She had autonomy, to choose what she wishes to do and not to do. The thought that they had ever so slightly pressured her...it was scary to them.
V-X was right, though. She was being ridiculous, truly, she should just... fuel to 70% while she still had the chance! She didn't even have to kill for it, she just had to... take blood from another machine. A machine that was willingly giving it to her, even if it made her antsy to sit still that long.
[NO I........... I SHOULD REFUEL.]
The words were like pulling teeth for VB, but he clicked his panel open and began untangling the tubing once more, knowing if he thought about it too long, he'd remember all the reasons he really didn't want to refuel as high as he even was right now.
V-X just stared back, remaining silent for a few moments. VB wasn't good at hiding their discomfort, they were actually quite bad at it. It was so clear that they didn't want to do this, that they were forcing themself to.
Her mind was spinning. This was her fault after all, if she hadn't pushed, if she hadn't insisted-
V-X rested her hand on VB's arm, shaking her head before signing.
"Stop. Ignore what I had said before. You can refuel again another time. Not now."
The sign was a lot more harsh, not necessarily showing anger but clearly not leaving any room for resistance.
"I know you dislike it, so we do not have to now. I am sorry I made you feel pressured."
VB was confused. V-X had really seemed to want this, want them to refuel up all the way to 100%, so why were they backing off now? They clicked their panel closed, fiddling with their hands as their leg wiggled.
[I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO FUEL ALL THE WAY. NOT BE STUBBORN.]
She didn't seem upset, just... confused as to the rapid change in tone, knocking her knee into V-X's and looking at her intently.
[DID NOT FEEL PRESSURED JUST... FELT BAD FOR ANNOYING YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NOT WANT TO REFUEL. I DON'T WANT TO MESS THIS UP.]
V-X froze for a moment. VB was right, they did want him to fuel up all the way, they did want him to be safe, but- but now he had shown his discomfort. It was different now.
"I did originally. You can on your own. I will not make you."
Their hand bounced against their leg when not signing, thinking of every little thing they could say. Then they heard what VB said next, rapidly beginning to sign.
"Not annoying. Not messing anything up. Not annoying. Promise."
Their sign was fast, almost too fast to read, their hand trembling a bit as well. VB was not annoying, quite the opposite actually. The companionship of another that V-X could trust wouldn't hurt them, it meant more to them than anything else. So hearing those words come from her sent them into an immediate panic, although it managed to not be too obvious.
VB could sense that V-X was upset about something, incredibly obvious despite what she thought, but he wasn't quite sure what. VB was the one that screwed up by being stubborn, and set in his ways, not V-X, V-X hadn't done anything. He scooted closer to V-X, so that their thighs were touching, and he leaned on the shoulder of their blade arm for a moment. He wasn't usually a... physical touch machine, but he didn't know how else to comfort V-X.
[I AM SORRY– I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.]
She sat back up, looking at V-X carefully. She didn't want to upset her in any way, and although she was uncomfortable with the idea of refuelling... she wouldn't do it without a little pushing.
[I... HAVE NOT REFUELLED TO FULL IN FURTHER THAN MY SYSTEMS ALLOW ME TO TRACK. I... NEED TO BE FORCED TO. TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH ME.]
They, shakily, clicked their intake panel back open, holding their forearm out to V-X once more.
V-X flinched at first when she felt VB's body leaning against her's, but she calmed down quickly, whirring softly.
"You have done nothing wrong. Promise."
Her sign was a lot less frantic, more centered than before, but she still felt beyond guilty. The last thing she wanted was for VB to think this was his fault. None of this was his fault.
She paused again as she watched VB speak and open the intake panel again, hesitating. She didn't want to force them to do something they didn't want to do, but...they seemed to be more open to it now?
She wasn't entirely sure, but she just hoped this was the case.
She nodded, opening her own panel in her arm and connecting the tubes, watching the blood leave slowly.
[80%]
[70%]
[60%]
Once V-X hit 60% she quickly disconnected herself, not wanting to push past 70%. It was a good enough compromise.
VB sat as still as possible during the refuelling.
And by that, he squirmed the entire time, fidgety and antsy and clearly wishing he was doing anything other than refuelling this high. He kept glancing around, looking at V-X, looking at his lap, before glancing around again.
FUEL LEVEL: 70%
She visibly relaxed when V-X was done fuelling, but her wings jittered anxiously as she put her intake equipment away. She felt… strange.
A quick diagnostic scan showed nothing wrong, but she felt as though something terrible was coming, as though something would happen she had no control over. She didn’t even think about tucking herself to V-X’s side, hoping the machine didn’t mind the contact because she was, admittedly, scared.
V-X was surprised when they felt VB move in close, but did not object it, a gentle hum coming from their body that imitated a purr. They noticed how tense the other machine was, keeping themself relaxed in an attempt to soothe him.
“You have not fueled past 30% in a long time. It is only natural that you would feel uneasy.”
They signed, followed by various chitters. They knew that if they had kept themself under-fueled for such a long time that they would feel anxious as well. They knew it was far out of VB’s comfort zone, so it was not a surprise at all that she was tense.
“Are your systems not reacting properly? Or is it a bad feeling, not related to system function?”
The humming purr helped, the tension in VB’s body relaxing almost immediately even though she was still clearly uneasy, trying to get closer to V-X in the hopes it would help her calm down, soothe her systems in some way.
[I DON’T KNNnnnOW– SYSTEMS ARE FINE BUT…]
He vented air out similar to a shaky breath, wings still vibrating and twitching anxiously as his optic darted around, as if trying to find a physical reason that he felt so terrible and scared.
[FEEL BAD. LIKE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME, DON’T WANT TO DIE, DON’t WANT SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN–]
As they spoke, there was a low droning in the background, an anxious sound coming from somewhere in their chest. They felt bad, they felt *doomed*, like fuelling any higher would be a terrible idea, but that didn’t make sense–
V-X turned to face VB a bit more, pulling the other machine closer in a sort of half-hug. Due to their blade arm they weren’t able to fully hug the him, but this was the best they could do. They remained in the “hug” for a few moments before leaning back slightly to sign, still keeping themself as close to VB as possible.
“You are anxious. Nothing bad will happen. I know it is not much comfort, but I promise. I will not let you die. I will not.”
V-X’s sign was stern, but clearly said with care, only saying this much before pulling VB back into the “hug”. The purring noise still came from them, along with a gentle soothing vibration. This wasn’t something they did on purpose, it was somewhat instinctual, despite not being part of their programming.
They were meant for war, not comfort, yet here they were.
VB stayed as close as possible, tucked into the half hug tightly as he continued to drone nervously, trying to just listen to V-X’s purr and calm down. He didn’t understand what his problem was– machines refuelled to 100% all the time without consequence, yet 70% was enough to send him spiralling about his own impending doom.
[FffFEEL DOOMED. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN IF I GO HIiiiIGHER.]
Perhaps it was just anxiety talking, but she could sense it, the fact that something terrible would happen if she hit 100%. Her voice was starting to glitch out, power being rerouted away from her voice box to who knows where to continue fuelling her anxiety.
[I DON’T WANT TO DIE.]
She leaned further into the hug. She’d probably crawl onto V-X to get closer to the other, if she could.
V-X knew this fear very well. The fear of losing her own life, succumbing to mortality. It wasn't programmed into her, but it wormed its way into her processors as she ventured deeper through Hell, feelings such as fear, jealousy, and...compassion.
She wished she could do more for VB. She wished she could give him a definitive answer, that he would be alright, that he would not die. She could not, because she could never even guarantee her own survival.
But she could at least try.
V-X kept her body leaning and close to VB's, but pulled her arm back to sign quickly.
"I will not let you die."
She repeated this once again, after all, it was all she could say. She could not guarantee that VB's systems could handle a full refuel, or that something bad wouldn't happen, but she could at least prevent their demise. She wasn't about to lose her first friend.
VB stayed cuddled into her tightly, shaking through his anxiety as he continued to drone nervously, systems running way too fast for no reason he could discover. There was no logical reason for him to be nervous about a full refuel, nor was there anything he could find that would occur at 100%.
It took a while for her to come down from her anxiety, slowly pulling away but still keeping her legs and knees pressed tightly to V-X,unable to bring herself to break contact fully. If she wasn’t actively panicking, V-X would be… quite comfortable to go into sleep mode on. VB couldn’t… remember… the last time she had went into sleep mode, but V-X would protect her.
She wasn’t sure why the thought made her fans kick on full, but that was neither here nor there.
[…THANK YOU. YOU ARE… INCREDIBLY KIND.]
They didn’t really know what to say, knowing that what they did say felt awkwardly formal, but they did feel slightly guilty for ruining the adventure with their anxiety.
V-X watched VB as he moved away a bit, scanning over his body language to make sure he was truly alright. He still seemed a bit tense, but…better than before. That was improvement at least.
When VB called them kind, however, it was their turn for their fans to kick up. Nobody had ever called them kind before…
Violent, sure. Effective, efficient, violent, that’s all they heard from their programmers. Even from Hell Itself, the praise they received was in reaction to their performance, to how they killed. So to receive a compliment on their kindness, on compassion, despite it being a blessing they had received from Hell Itself and not of its own volition…it felt good. A new kind of good. It still achieved their directive of receiving praise but in a different way….a way that made them feel warm inside without fear accompanying it.
“Thank you. For calling me kind. Hell’s blessing has changed me for the better.”
V-X decided to omit mentioning that if she had met VB early in her descent through Hell she would have most likely gutted them on the spot. Did not want to scare them now.
“Do not apologize. You can go in rest mode if you’d like, lot of energy was spent. Might be good for you. I will protect you.”
VB chirped a little bit, the sound still not fully relaxed, but more-so, as V-X’s fans kicked on, rivalling his own in sound. He wasn’t sure why, it he made a note in his database– V-X seems to like compliments. The remaining tension slowly seeped out of him as he knocked his shoulder into theirs.
[NO NEED TO THANK– JUST TELLING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE BEEN KIND SINCE THE START.]
Even just offering to let her go into sleep mode on them was kind. She looked around at their surroundings. It wasn’t exactly ideal to rest in the middle of Fraud but… V-X would protect her… it was incredibly enticing, glancing at V-X with an almost puppy-dog like expression, wings clicking a few times. Usually the thought of sleep mode made her squirmy, just like refuelling did, but the anxiety had taken the fight out of her. She inched herself a little closer, not wanting to make V-X uncomfortable.
[…YOU WOULDN’T MIND? SHOULD WE… GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?]
V-X scanned the room for a moment, making sure that there were absolutely no immediate threats before fully reassuring VB. Once they determined that it was clear, they turned to him, signing.
"I would not mind. Where we stay is up to you. No more machines or husks should come here, so it is safe if you are fine with it."
Asoft mechanical hum came from their form as they redirected their gaze to look at VB again, noticing her hesitation and deciding to move a bit closer to indicate that they were fine with her leaning against them.
"If not, I can defend. I have enough fuel and do not need rest yet."
They chirped alongside their sign, as if to affirm their statement.
VB also looked around the room, coming to the same conclusion as V-X, shutters closing slightly on her eye. When was the last time she had gone into sleep mode? She tried to check, but the data value just came back as a maxed out integer once more. No dice.
[…THIS WORKS. THANK YOU.]
They felt… odd about the fact that V-X was so willing to protect them. Not bad odd, not panicky, anxious odd, but… warm. Warm odd. Odd in a way that made their fans kick on high once more. They shuffled closer, tentatively leaning their head on V-X’s shoulder. When it was clear this was done, they relaxed further, snuggling closer with a sigh from their vents, eye closing further. They had started purring, the sound rumbling in their chest.
[YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.]
He was surprised that he was so… relaxed. Not antsy like he normally was about resting. He was much more still, the only movement coming from him a few small twitches from his feet.
V-X started purring as well, leaning against VB a bit. She never really thought of herself as...comfortable. She was a worthy asset in combat, a means for a good performance, and in VB's eyes, kind. But comfortable wasn't something she thought she could be.
She whirred, nodding a little. Part of her wanted to go into sleep mode as well, letting herself rest in the presence of a companion, but she knew this was not a smart decision. She had to be vigilant in case there was a threat present, and her sleep mode wasn't a very comforting presence to be around. An uncanny limp robot was not something that would bring comfort to VB, so she knew she must stay the way she was.
"I am glad. Happy you are comfortable."
She was happy VB's optic had not fully closed, as he would not be able to read her sign if that was the case.
VB purred even louder when V-X started purring, optc closing in a long, slow blink, looking up at V-X like they had hung the moon in the sky. It had been so long since VB felt comfortable enough to go into sleep mode, had someone who could watch him to make sure he didn’t get hurt while sleeping…. he couldn’t understate how much it meant to him.
She could purr even louder though, the mechanical sound rattling in the room, snuggling as close as she could. She was trying to keep her optic open to keep reading V-X’s sign, but it was a struggle when she felt this comfy.
[….THaaANK YOU]
Their voice glitched slightly as they spoke, power just… not being routed there, being routed to sleep mode processes instead. They would sign if they needed to say anything as they tried to fight sleep mode a little longer, wanting to stay awake with V-X even as their systems prepared sleep mode fully. They were even starting to emit white noise machine sound the closer they got to sleeping, the sound of crickets chirping and rain overlaid on top of each other softly coming from their speakers.
V-X felt their fans kick up a bit as VB's purring got louder, a sort of warm fuzzy feeling overtaking them. It was strange, far from what they were used to, but just the thought that VB enjoyed their company was a lot to them.
She chittered a bit at VB's glitched-out speech, nodding quickly before signing again, keeping her words simple so they were easier to VB to understand as he started to fall into sleep mode.
"Do not have to stay up. You can sleep now."
She shifted a bit so that VB could fully lean on her, leaning back on them a little bit as well. Upon hearing the sounds coming from VB, she tilted her head to the side before memories started flooding back to her.
Memories of staying awake in their creator's office, the rain pattering outside along with the sound of distant thunder. The chirps of the crickets that had somehow managed to survive and weasel their way into the laboratory through the cracks in the walls. It was all so...strangely nostalgic, but comforting nonetheless.
VB could feel the way her systems were starting to shut down unnecessary background processes, preparing her fully for sleep mode. She sighed out of her vents, the puff of warm air heating the area around them for a moment. She was fully leaning on V-X, purring loudly at how comfortable she was, and how the sound of V-X’s fans was acting as white noise to her.
He was still fighting to keep his eye open, though it kept closing as he drooped, V-X supporting more and more of his weight. He switched over to sign, voice box being shut down as well, allowing the white noise to be played louder through his speakers.
“Goodnight…”
Their eye drooped once more, so so so close to fully dropping into sleep mode but still wanting to keep their eyes open to see V-X’s hand, just in case. But oh, they were so sleepy… So unsure of when they last had rested… they deserved this. Perhaps they could return the favor sometime.
(A dark grey machine, appearing to be a larger V model lands near them)
[@hells-v-ex-splorer]
[you’re cool and VB inspired me to make my own V model oc so I would like for them to meet]
VB jumped, turning to look at the other machine while ducking behind a telephone pole. She was torn between getting a closer look, and fleeing the scene immediately, trying to avoid a fight, but her curiosity always won out.
[HELLO!!!]
She peeked out from her hiding spot, skating over to the other V-Model quickly, lenses clicking out to scan them.
VB had no sense of personal space, skating a full circle around V-Ex to complete the scan, lenses clicking back once it was complete. She projected the hologram of him on the ground next to her when she was done, skating back slightly.
[VB!]
She tapped her designation on her chest, as hard to see as it was in the low lighting.
[WHAT ARE YOU IN HELL FOR?]
He clicked his skates on and off as he stood, incredibly antsy for a machine, unable to really stop moving.
VB stopped in front of him, wings and eye glowing brighter from her excitement. Her wings were still clicking back and forth, twitching as she trilled.
[I WENT TO HEAVEN ONCE– I SCANNED SO MANY ARCHIVES, WHAT DID YOU DO?]
It took a lagging moment before he processed the rest of what V-Ex said. He had never been anywhere but here? That just meant it was perfect to explore!
[WE SHOULD EXPLORE!!! THIS IS THE LUST LAYER, IT IS A CITY.]
VB’s wings clicked back and forth happily, clicking and chirping at the mention of Michael. Michael was incredibly kind to her– she’d consider him a good friend.
[MICHAEL IS VERY FUN!! THE ARCHIVES ARE EXCELLENT AS WELL!!!]
He skated off in one direction in Lust, assuming V-Ex was following him close behind, making sure to not go too fast so the other machine could keep up.
[LUST IS VERY PRETTY IN THE CITY CENTER, IT IS WHERE EVERYTHING IS. ALL OF THE CITY COMES TOGETHER THERE.]
VB continued skating, trying to slow down further so V-Ex didn’t have to sprint as quickly as he was. They moved through the streets of Lust, under the light of the street lamps, avoiding other machines and demons as they continued.
[LUST IS… FUN. NOT THE BEST FOR SAMPLING PURPOSES, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. GOOD FOR FIELD RESEARCH. AND THERE IS A HUGE LIBRARY, RIVALS THE ARCHIVES.]
It wasn’t her home, but it was definitely quite the cool place in Hell. Showed just how resilient people could be, even when faced with what was supposed to be eternal suffering.
VB…. wasn't entirely sure how he ended up here. But there were so many archives, she was practically buzzing with happiness, skating around the room and scanning everything they came across. It was not being the most... attentive, not exactly paying attention to anyone else entering the room...
-@fromthe-very-beginning
“..?”
Michael looks up from his planner, he could hear the skating noise all the way from his makeshift office
“Oh for fucks sake… what now? Who could possibly think skating in here is a good idea?!”
He gets up and walks out to the main hall of the archive room, muttering things under his breath that many would consider carnal sins
“Hey! Mind cutting that the fuck out?! How the Hell did you even get in here?! Goddamn… is it really that hard to ask for my permission before entering?!”
VB startled, moving at such high speeds that it crashed fully into one of the shelves, sending archives tumbling down around herself as she sprawled out on the ground, retracting their skates quickly. It took a few moments for him to regain his bearings, peeking up at the angel.
[SORRY...]
It popped up, trying to creep close enough to scan the angel, lenses clicking into place quickly, abandoning the mess they made on the floor. He'd clean it up later, once it had scanned everything in the pile.
Michael’s orange wings droop slightly, he’s annoyed and somewhat frustrated by this whole situation
“Another machine… how in the Hell did you get up here? Never mind that… mind explaining why the fuck you were skating around so haphazardly?!”
His upper arms were already crossed, right foot tapping against the floor to show impatience
“The Heavenly archive room holds many texts and documents that can’t be found elsewhere, so you best hope none of the ones you knocked over are damaged, machine…”
VB moved a little bit closer, seemingly not worried about the angel's clear irritation. Once it got within range, they stood still until the scan was complete.
[SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME!!! NEED TO MOVE FAST–]
The scan completed, and she was off again, projecting the scan of Michael on the ground next to him, the hologram spinning around slowly, while they shuffled through the archives for ones that hadn't been scanned yet. It found one, holding it up victoriously, and began scanning it.
VB moved through its scan, quickly putting the archive up onto the shelf before moving to another one, letting the hologram continue to spin absentmindedly next to it.
[NEED TO READ AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I AM KICKED OUT]
She didn't look back at Michael, continuing to talk as they scanned. The hologram of Michael did a little dance.
[HOLOGRAM!!! I SCANNED YOU INTO MY DATABASE.]
It flipped its head around perfectly 180 degrees to look back at Michael.
He just watches in complete shock as you scan through each archive with impressive speeds
“I’m not gonna kick you out, machine, Christ on high… you can slow the fuck down now!”
Michael side eyes the hologram, completely unnerved by it
“Right… and you’re making it… dance..? Fucking Hell… and here I thought I’d seen it all! Why did you project it in the first place..?! And- that question you just asked is completely irrelevant! You don’t need to know that!”
VB only slowed slightly down on scanning the archives, still moving at an impressive speed. It seemed that was just her default state. The machine continued to make the hologram dance for a moment, before it disappeared entirely.
[WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. ISN'T IT COOL???]
It skated back over to Michael, holding out their hand. In it, a small hologram of Michael rested, curled up like a cat, sleeping.
[VERSATILE. MANY USES.]
He chirped a few times, skating quickly back over to the archives.
The eldest of the Archangels was definitely relived to see you slow down, even if it wasn’t all the way, he’d take anything at this point
“Right… sorry, I’m just not used to such… technology? And- why the fuck is it sleeping like a cat now..?! If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re making a fucking mockery of me..!”
He sighs, doing all that he can to keep himself from losing his mind
“I- yes… it’s an alcoholic beverage… why do you want to know so badly? I don’t believe it’s safe for a machine to drink such things, especially if you run on blood of all fucking substances.”
[NOT MOCKING. IMPORTANT! YOU ARE IN MY DATABASE NOW.]
It flipped its head back around to continue scanning records. It was clear that he only scanned things that were deemed important, which…. coincidentally happened to be everything.
[HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?]
He honestly was just incredibly curious, even if the information was entirely irrelevant to itself.
He didn’t even know how to properly process all of this, and seeing you scan over literally everything wasn’t helping his confusion
“Why… am I in your database now..? What’s the fucking purpose of that..?! I’m just… so Goddamn confused now… all this tech talk is making my head spin…”
Hearing the genuine curiosity in your voice regarding beer, how it’s made, and how it tastes, he perks up slightly
“Well… beer can be made through a multitude of ways, but all you really need is boiling water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. Those are the key ingredients. As for how it tastes… it can be pretty damn bitter but also sweet depending on the ingredients.”
VB was perfectly still as it scanned, seemingly the only thing that stopped the machine from moving around constantly. She wanted to make sure that the scan was clear, and she didn't have to redo it once it was complete.
[IN DATABASE– I KNOW YOU NOW! YOU ARE...]
It trailed off, realizing that there were blanks in the entry.
[WHAT IS YOUR NAME? I AM VB!]
It tapped its chest where the engraving was, not fully realizing that it was facing away from Michael.
She listened carefully as Michael explained beer, opening a new database entry and making mental notes about the drink.
[WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT? BITTER AND SWEET ARE OPPOSITES, YES?]
Despite being even more confused than before, he decides to play along with this, not wanting to cause anything else
“I guess that makes sense? Wait… you don’t know my damn name?! I’m the Archangel Michael! How in the fuck- ah, never mind… it’s good to meet you, VB.”
Upon hearing you question why beer can be both bitter and sweet, he sighs quietly
“Like I said, it all depends on the ingredients, even though bitter and sweet contrast each other in theory. Mixed together the correct way, especially in an alcoholic drink, they just work so fucking well together.”
When VB heard the archangel's name, it paused for a split second, going through every instance of [ARCHANGEL MICHAEL] in its database. It perked up when it found what it was looking for, glancing back at Michael.
[ARCHANGEL MICHAEL! FROM THE BIBLE! I HAVE CREATED THE CONNECTION.]
She had read the Old and New Testaments during her limited time on Earth, scanning them all into her database. It was nice to put a "face to the name", as is said.
His voice box made a little musical droning sound, clearly a hum as he thought about all he was learning about beer.
[HM. LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES TASTING DIFFERENT DESPITE BEING ALL BLOOD? DEMON VS DIVINE, ETC?]
He couldn’t help but observe with growing intrigue, even though machines annoyed him, you were definitely something different
“Yes, that’s me, I’m honestly shocked that you didn’t save such valuable information, VB. But then again… you probably have a lot on your damn mind, so who am I to judge?”
Hearing you compare the different tastes of beer to blood just further solidified his intrigue
“I’d say that’s one way to put it as a comparison. Not that I know what different types of blood taste like, all I know is that fucking metallic taste…”
VB clicked a few times, almost chiding. It put the final record it had knocked over back on the shelf, before standing and turning around, projecting another hologram that looked almost like a map of constellations. There were larger stars, with smaller branches and stars coming off of them, all coming off of one large star.
[MAP OF EVERY MENTION OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN MY SYSTEM. SMALLER SECTIONS FOR DIFFERENT FILE TYPES. A LOT OF .TXT FILES. NEEDED TO CONNECT YOUR .GLTF SCAN TO THE MAP, WHICH TOOK A SECOND. SORRY!!!]
She quickly got rid of the hologram, remembering Michael's irritation at the last one.
[DIFFERENT BLOOD HAS DIFFERENT TASTES. DIVINE IS SWEETER AND RICHER. DEMONIC IS DARKER AND HEAVIER. NOT METALLIC.]
Michael stared at the constellations in both shock and awe, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a beautiful display
“These constellations… I haven’t seen them in such a long time… machine, I’m speechless..! Why don’t you show me this sooner..?!”
He then snapped back to reality upon hearing you describe the different tastes of blood, right, this was in response to his beer thing
“Is that why you enjoy beating the shit outta angels? Or do you much prefer the blood of your own kind? This genuinely has me interested as all fuck now.”
VB tilted its head, trying to understand what Michael meant by that. It was just the map of its database– Oh. Well, he supposed it did look like stars.
[MAP IS NOT REAL STARS, JUST DATA VISUALISATION. I HAVE REAL STARS SOMEWHERE…]
She trailed off, trying to find the file– yes! She projected a hologram of a real star map this time, the actual stars and constellations visible from Earth.
[REAL STARS FOR YOU! A 3D RECREATION OF A SCAN OF MULTIPLE PHOTOS FROM BEFORE THE WAR, WHEN THE STARS WERE STILL VISIBLE.]
She left that scan projecting onto the ceiling, hoping Michael liked it. It had taken them ages to create the full 3D model off of as many photos of the stars as possible, a full map of every star visible from Earth.
He looked at the floor when Michael mentioned the blood again, clicking his skates in and out over and over again.
[DO NOT BEAT UP ANGELS– DON’T LIKE FIGHTING. ANGEL BLOOD TASTES BEST, BUT I GO DOWN TO FRAUD AND HOPE THE DEATHCATCHERS CAN REANIMATE SOMETHING FOR ME TO REFUEL FROM.]
Michael watches as the map changes from what it was originally to the 3D recreation, he was even more blown away than before, such beauty
“I… had no idea that these constellations lost their radiance after the war… they’re so beautiful… each one brimming with life and… a cosmic holiness that none could ever replicate…”
Hearing more of your explanation, he didn’t take his eyes off of the recreation but he did respond, it would be rude not to after all
“Deathcatchers, eh? I guess that makes more sense, the damned things always weirded me out… but if they provide you with an unlimited supply of blood, then who am I to fucking judge?”
VB nodded. It had… never actually seen the stars, but it knew that they couldn’t be seen once the war occurred.
[HARD TO SEE STARS WHEN EVERYTHING IS POLLUTED.]
He watched Michael watch the stars. He was… glad that he seemed to be enjoying the 3D recreation, even though an angel of his standing should jut be able to… go see them, right?
[DEATHCATCHERS ARE STRANGE. TRYING TO GIVE LOVE BUT CANNOT. THEY USUALLY HELP ME GET BLOOD.]
She laughed, the sound a trill from her voice box.
[YOU COULD KILL ME RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED– I AM A BAD FIGHTER. DEATHCATCHERS ARE EASIEST.]
Right, the war, he didn’t know if he should still hold humans accountable for such a folly at this current point in time, they were desperate after all, but…
“I only wish that The Final War had been nothing more than a cruel joke… a Goddamn nightmare… but this hologram is all I need to see… to know that it was real…”
While silently mourning the loss of so much, he overheard the word “Deathcatcher” and immediately turned to you again, what were those monstrosities, truly?
“I see, guess that makes sense, an endless supply of blood would definitely do you well and- wait, kill you? Machine… I won’t do that, especially not after you decided to show me the stars in the form of a hologram.”
VB shrugged slightly. It was hard to form an opinion on the Final War– It wasn’t around to see any of it, and it was created as a result of the New Peace, which wouldn’t have happened if the War hadn’t, so…. VB kind of had the war to thank for its life. But she understood where Michael, who had seen it, was coming from.
[I WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT IT. I OWE MY LIFE TO THE WAR. I WISH IT HAD NOT HAPPENED, BUT I LIKE... BEING ALIVE.]
Perhaps that made her selfish, but if it did, then she was an incredibly selfish machine. She trilled a laugh when Michael was shocked at her words, clicking her skates out and skating circles around him.
[I KNOW YOU WOULD NOT. BUT YOU COULD IS WHAT I AM SAYING. YOU ARE GOOD FIGHTER– I AM NOT.]
Michael knew he couldn’t argue with that logic, you had every right to say such things, and who was he to judge or take that away from you?
“I can’t dismiss your logic here… VB… even with very differing viewpoints, I know damn well that a machine such as yourself has every right to live. Especially since you aren’t out for blood currently.”
He scoffed slightly at seeing you skate around him, your laugh did annoy him just a bit, but he wasn’t going to take away your fun
“Well, you’d better believe I’m one Hell of a fighter! Despite being known as God’s Wisdom. Oh how I wish I wasn’t always trapped here, I need to blow off some steam!”
VB seemed to physically brush off the talk of the war, twitching their wings a few times as they skated around. They seemed glad for an opening to change the topic.
[I RUN ON LOW FUEL– DON’T GET BLOOD OFTEN. MOVING FASTER EXPENDS MORE ENERGY, BUT–]
It was clear they didn’t have the ability to move slowly, even if it drained fuel quicker. It tilted its head at Michael’s mention of being stuck– could he not just leave?
[POP DOWN TO HELL THEN? GO FIGHT AND COME BACK AFTER?]
She had snuck into Heaven so easily, it’d probably be easy to sneak back out.
Michael understands now, it makes much more sense to him, but at the same time… he couldn’t help but feel bad for you
“VB, what are your current fuel levels? I’m sure it took a lot of energy to get up here in the first place after all. Don’t hide it from me.”
Upon hearing you suggest the idea of him going to Hell to let off some steam, he paused… why didn’t he do that? What was holding him back? Oh right…
“As much as I’d love to fuck up some demons, just a bit… there’s something that I need to continue researching… it’s gonna drive me insane if I don’t…”
Michael crossed his arms, not satisfied with the response he got in regard to your fuel levels, sure he didn’t interact with machines often but… he wasn’t going to let you lose power here
“Yeah, no, that’s not good enough, VB. Your levels are too damn low, I won’t have you dying of starvation here.”
Sighing, he reached behind his desk and pulled out a small knife, then, without hesitation, he sliced his left palm open and offered it to you, he hadn’t done this before
“Go ahead, consider this a blessing… plus this is my first time ever feeding a machine to begin with. As for your offer… I guess you can help? The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find anything here… it’s frustrating.”
VB tried to protest as Michael moved, following him around on her skates.
[15% IS NORMAL FOR ME– USUALLY ONLY REFUEL TO 30% ANYWAYS AND IT IS ONLY CRITICAL WHEN ITS UNDER 5%–]
She stops short when Michael is–
Bleeding–
Her optic refocuses loudly.
She rechecks her fuel levels, she shouldn't be this... unstable.... at a little blood–
FUEL GAUGE: 1%
Oh. She had misread it.
Her hand moves to her arm, scrambling to open the panel that allows her to feed, get the stupid needles that she had to uncap, fuck–
It was a lot of fumbling but eventually she managed to get set up, inserting the needle into where Michael had cut his hand, visibly relaxing when the blood got into her system. He didn’t need to know VB had read the gauge wrong.
[WwWWHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?]
His voice glitched out slightly as he spoke, wincing.
Michael reaches his right hand over and gently pats your head, he could sense something was very off with you, I mean, he is God’s Wisdom after all
“VB, just let yourself refuel to 100%, considering how quickly you burn through it, I’d rather not have to keep slicing my hand. But I’m glad I caught on before it was too late.”
He leaned back slightly in his chair, everything you were doing didn’t phase him at all, its like he couldn’t even feel it, not that it was an issue or anything
“What I’m looking for are documents that Heaven seemed to have erased from existence… there’s this group called “The Watchers”… the name rings a familiar bell but… I can’t remember… and… it’s driving me insane… how did they get rid of the documents here..?!”
VB trilled at the head pat, clearly enjoying the contact, but squirmed at Michael’s suggestion. It hadn’t been at full since….
DATA QUERY: TIME SINCE FUEL AT 100%
….
RETURN: 2147483647 HOURS
Well that was unhelpful. Who decided to use an int value for that stat–?
Whatever.
It had been a long time.
[I DO NOT NEED TO HAVE MY FUEL AT 100%, IT IS FINE TRULY–]
It didn’t want to take too much from Michael, clearly antsy to stop feeding even though it just started. He bounced his leg, squirming, truly not able to sit still.
[I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THEM– THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING FROM HEAVEN?]
Michael couldn’t help but be amused by the sound you made, machines truly were interesting to him, and you were just one of many examples of that
“VB, I insist, fill up to full, there’s no harm nor foul in doing so, plus it doesn’t hurt me. I’m a big ass angel, you don’t need to worry about me losing blood, alright?”
He sighed and glanced off to the side, the documents and books weren’t the only things that were missing, so much more was, and it frustrated him
“It’s… not just the documents… books are also missing along with… my memories regarding them… I can’t remember who they are or… were… but the name rings a feint bell..! I wouldn’t be surprised if Heaven erased my memory…”
VB almost whined, the unhappy sound coming from somewhere in her machinery, not wanting to fuel to 100%. It made her feel weird, the idea of sitting still long enough to fuel to 100%, as if it was against her very programming to stay still for that long. Their fingers tapped along the plating on their thigh rhythmically.
[...I DO NOT LIKE SITTING STILL FOR THAT LONG. 50% IS FINE.]
Maybe he could negotiate with Michael, a fuel level higher than his usual, but still not full, so he could move quicker, and take less. She wanted to move, wanted to go and research, wanted to look at what Michael was talking about.
[HUH. EVERYTHING IS GONE? MEMORIES AND DOCUMENTS?]
He thought for a moment, clicking open a panel and shutting it repeatedly on his thigh absently.
Michael could completely understand where you were coming from with that, even though he wasn’t feeling lightheaded at all, you still had the final say in all of this after all
“Alright, VB, if 50% truly is enough for you, then I won’t keep you sitting still any longer like an ignorant dumbass. But remember that you can always come to me for blood. It’s a non issues.”
The eldest of the Archangels looks up, he wouldn’t be surprised if many angels had completely forgotten who the watchers were, it couldn’t be just him, that wouldn’t make sense
“I feel as though any and all memories regarding them have been completely erased from the minds of everyone in Heaven… they’re trying to hide something. And it’s driving me insane because I should know these things! But no… I don’t… and I hate that so much!”
VB chirped happily, visibly relaxing at the prospect of not having to refuel all the way to 100%. He swung his legs back and forth.
[THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN– DO I NOT HAVE TO SNEAK IN NEXT TIME?]
His mechanical tone almost sounded joking, teasing, the bottom shutter of his optic raising in a smile as his wings twitched slightly.
As she refuelled, she thought further about what Michael was saying. His memories were erased, and so were those of angels in Heaven... but there was a much... looser control on things like that in Hell. It would be difficult for anyone to remove all traces of information in Hell itself.
[HAVE YOU TRIED THE LUST LIBRARIES INSTEAD? SOMEWHERE NOT IN HEAVEN?]
Michael once again couldn’t help but chuckle, you truly were both simple minded but also complex, he couldn’t help but find machines interesting, and, he no longer saw them as a threat
“As long as you only come to the Heavenly archive room, VB, I’ll be your damn blood bank. Just… try not to get caught by anyone on the way, ok? Don’t want you getting destroyed.”
At the mention of visiting Hell, especially the Lust layer to try and find more information on the watchers, the eldest of the Archangels was surprised that he didn’t think of that beforehand
“You… bring up a very good point there! Heaven can only erase the memories and texts of those who reside here! But, in Hell… there’s no way they can erase anything there! Smart thinking, VB!”
VB's optic closed entirely, and he made a sound that was similar to a laugh, shoulders shaking to imitate the human motion.
[I AM GOING TO GET CAUGHT BY EVERYONE. TALK TO EVERY ANGEL IN MY PATH. FOR FUN.]
He was clearly being sarcastic, though his tone didn't carry it very well, as flat as it was. His wings twitched slightly at the praise from Michael, glad he could be of some help.
[THE LUST LIBRARIES HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION. NEED TO GO WITH SOMEONE, THOUGH, OR YOU WILL BE ATTACKED.]
She... knew Michael would not be the most welcome in Hell, as visibly angelic as he was. He would probably get attacked before getting anywhere near the city center, which VB didn't want to happen.
Michael did his best to hold back a laugh, he knew you were being sarcastic, but the very idea of you doing everything to get caught by every angel in Heaven just… it was hilarious to imagine
“Sorry, it’s just- the fucking image of you doing that is so hilarious to me, VB! Oh, I know they’d struggle to catch you! Hahaha!”
After laughing again, the eldest of the Archangels thought on what you said, sure he was very intimidating, even Heavenly beings knew better than to fuck with him, but in Hell? The rules were different
“Hmm… you make very good points there… and I can’t risk an ambush… not with all the things currently clouding my mind… y’know what? Fuck it, you can take me there. I don’t mind one bit, VB.”
VB swung his legs back and forth once more, clicking his skates in and out as he continued smiling, optic shutting for a moment.
[THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH ME. I AM FASTER ON WHEELS THAN THEY CAN FLY.]
She was glad to make Michael laugh– it made her feel like she was doing a good job somehow. With mention of going to the Lust library, she jumped up, accidentally pulling the needle out of Michael's hand and leaving it dangle out of the port on her arm.
FUEL GAUGE: 43%
Close enough.
They haphazardly shoved the tubes back into their arm, shutting the panel with a resounding click before skating back towards the entrance of the archives.
[WE CAN GO NOW– LESS CHANCE FOR AN AMBUSH DURING THE DAY.]
Frankly, as long as Michael was with VB, no one would touch him. Watch him, perhaps, but not outright attack him.
Michael had seen just how fast you truly were, only the Archangels could keep up with you, no other Heavenly being had it in them, this much he knew for a fact
“They’d definitely have a hard time catching you, VB, I’ve seen how fucking fast you are. Honestly, only us Archangels can keep up, but, we mean you no harm, machines don’t concern us anymore.”
The feeling of the needle being suddenly pulled out from his wrist caused Michael to wince slightly, it didn’t hurt, it just caught him off guard, sighing, he got up as well
“Alright, you’ve got a point, lead the way, VB. Though… would it be faster if I teleported us down to the Lust layer? I can do that with ease, but it’s completely up to you.”
VB made a mechanical humming sound, shifting his weight back and forth between his skates quickly. It… would be faster for Michael to teleport them there. His fuel gauge was higher than it had been in awhile, though…
She quickly glanced over Michael once more. How fast could he move…?
…They’d get to Lust in no time moving at full speed.
He took off like a shot, using the boosters in his legs to skate as fast as possible out of the archive room, sliding and bouncing and gliding to gain momentum, and keep it.
They shouted over their shoulder as they moved, assuming Michael was right behind them.
A smirk formed on Michael’s face, although you couldn’t see it due to the darkness that shrouded it, he always loved a challenge, and well… this was definitely one of many
“So it’s a race you want, huh VB? Heh, well… it’s a race you’re gonna fucking get! Be ready! Cause I’m not gonna let you win that easily!”
Exhaling, he got up, stretched, and immediately took off running after you, despite his buff stature, Michael was pretty quick, he was able to keep up with Gabriel after all, and before you knew it, he was right beside you
“This is hardly a challenge, VB! C’mon! You gotta give me something more! Show me what you were made for! I may be muscular… but don’t underestimate me!”
VB was trilling and chirping as it skated, clearly having a ton of fun as it gained as much momentum as possible. It was moving incredibly fast, but it was still glancing over its shoulder periodically, seeing Michael catch up easily.
[YOU WILL REGRET THAT!]
VB decided right then that he wasn't going to be looking over his shoulder anymore, instead creating a small explosion from his feet, propelling him forward and off of a wall, the bounce into the skating giving him enough momentum to absolutely be dangerous if he ran into something.
She took the path that was harder to navigate, but with lots of little spaces for her to slide through, spaces that she knew would be harder to navigate for Michael. Her slides barely lost any momentum, especially since she went right back into skating afterwards.
Michael’s smirk never faltered, no matter how fast you skated around, he still managed to keep up, he knew the halls of Heaven like the backs of his four hands after all, so of course he wasn’t gonna let you get away that easily
“Think you can get away that easily VB? Haha! Oh you’re SORELY mistaken! Ready or not… here I fucking come!!”
The eldest of the Archangels jumped up and took to the skies with ease, his barely visible orange wings casting a consistent glow on everything in his vicinity, even while flying, his speed didn’t diminish
“Haha! Oh, I can’t remember the last time I took flight like this! And don’t think I can’t see you, VB! You can’t outmaneuver me THAT easily!”
VB was at a disadvantage, at least until they hit the mouth of Hell, it had never been in Heaven before and Michael had been here his whole life. It needed terrain that couldn't be flown over, or through, without more challenges, something that was made to be navigated on foot instead of in the air–
Or maybe something else, a way to trick Michael, perhaps? One thing was clear, it needed time to get ahead, and win.
There was a large group of angels gathered around something in the distance, angels that were notably larger than VB itself, and a plan started to form. It quickly shuffled through its database, pulling up the model of itself, before skating into the crowd.
Two identical copies of VB skated back out from it, causing a great commotion among the angels around it, and took off in opposite directions.
Michael didn’t slow down in his pursuit, not even when the large group of angels below called out to him, he didn’t have time, plus they probably either wanted to chat up a storm or question everything, he wasn’t in the mood for it
“You really think that’s gonna be enough to stop me, VB?! Haha! Oh, it’s cute how much you underestimate me!”
With the sol behind him still brightly illuminated, he flew faster, nearly gliding at this point, the eldest of the Archangels was not only having fun, but also making sure to keep you on his radar at all times, you wouldn’t be the victor in this!
“Don’t forget, VB! I’m God’s Wisdom! Such a trick won’t be enough to throw me off your path! I know where you are! Which one is the real you! There’s no fucking escape! Haha!”
VB trilled loudly, clearly not upset over Michael immediately clocking his location, and clocking his trick. He had nothing else other than making it to the mouth of Hell, where he was more familiar with the terrain, and all of its shortcuts.
[YOU ARE FAST!!!]
She sounded incredibly pleased with that statement, pleased that someone could keep up with her reliably even in a silly race. She slid the rest of the way out of Heaven, launching herself fully towards the mouth of Hell, a jump and fall that was nothing short of terrifying, but VB didn’t even think twice, just launching herself fully.
Michael didn’t think twice and dove in after you, he was no stranger to Hell after all, he just… rarely visits it, not because he’s afraid, but because the need never really presented itself, the lowest he’d ever gone was Heresy truth be told
“You think Hell’s enough to stop me, VB?! I think fucking not! Hahaha! Keep running! Let’s see how long we can keep this up!”
The eldest of the Archangels truly couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun, well… aside from when… he and his brothers were younger, and… when he and Phanuel… he shook his head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and focused on you instead
“You’d be surprised by just how fast I can go, VB! What do you say, wanna pick up the pace? I’d be more than happy to! Hahaha!”
VB did keep running, skating as fast as he possibly could. Hell was where he thrived, knowing all the shortcuts and incredibly narrow passageways in the rooms that Michael would struggle through.
[HELL IS FULL OF SMALL SPACES– GOOD LUCK!!!]
VB itself was small, and that was an intentional design, made to fit into small spaces with the intent of gathering samples. That also meant that it could absolutely fly through crevasses in the walls that were not as easily doable for bigger people, or bigger angels.
She used the boosters in her legs regularly, just to gain that little bit of speed against Michael, knowing the second they were out of a small space, he would catch up to her immediately. She was chirping and trilling the entire time they were racing, having so much fun.
Michael fully took on this challenge, of course you thought that small spaces would slow him down, well… you’ve severely underestimated this Archangel, sure, he’s bulky in terms of muscle, but that didn’t mean he was a stranger to such things
“Oh, how you underestimate me, VB! I can do this for fucking hours! Do you honestly think small spaces are enough to slow me down?! Well… you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The eldest of the Archangels continued to give chase, making sure to keep his arms and legs fully pinned together, letting only his wings do what they needed to do while continuing to increase his speed, he’d traverse Hell just like the halls of Heaven, nothing was new to him
“Hahaha! I can tell you’re having fun with this! Let’s keep it up! Cause I’m FAR from being done! I’ve still got you in my sights, VB!”
VB happened to glance over her shoulder, trilling loudly at just how close Michael was behind her, especially as they entered Limbo with much more wide open spaces, nothing she could use to try and trick or deter him.
All he could do was skate, skate as fast as he physically could, skate so quickly it absolutely shredded through his fuel supply, but he was entirely uncaring about that, as long as he still beat Michael in the race. He used every available speed boost in his arsenal, yet it still seemed as if Michael had no problems keeping up.
It was close though, uncomfortably close as they entered the streets of Lust, VB being forced to kick off the walls of buildings to dodge the few people still wandering around this late at night, Michael hot on their heels. VB skid through the streets, aiming right at the city center, and at the incredibly large library. They took a sharp turn, absolutely crashing through the door and skating into a table, the items cascading around them. They popped their head up for the rubble as Michael entered the door immediately after.
[YOU ARE REALLY FAST!!!!!!!! THAT WAS SO FUN!!!!!!!!]
It let itself lay back into the mess it created, laughing mechanically with its optic shut, wings clicking happily.
Michael quickly landed in front of you, not at all out of breath, he seemed both amused and slightly concerned upon seeing you pop your head out of the mess you made, there was just something so… childish yet familiar about it
“Damn, VB! I didn’t expect you to crash like that! Hope you didn’t break anything vital, cause that didn’t look fun, unless you enjoy crashing into objects. Which, I’m not one to judge!”
The eldest of the Archangels held back a chuckle before holding out his right hand, offering to help you up, this entire situation really did remind him of when he and his brothers would goof off in Heaven, eons ago
“Welp, since we’re here, grab on, I’ll help you up, you klutz. I swear… you’re quite the entertaining beast, you know that, VB? But yeah, this was fun! I haven’t done something like that in eons!”
VB wasn’t phased by the crash– they crashed into stuff all the time! It was just a byproduct of moving as fast as they did, sometimes, they would miscalculate where they needed to be, and crash into something. They had repaired more chips in their paint than they could count because of it.
[I AM OKAY– USED TO IT!]
He accepted the hand up, nearly being thrown to his feet by accident. He was quite small, and Michael was quite strong. He chirped anyways, glancing around the library for a moment before righting the table, and fixing the mess he made.
[YOU ARE VERY FAST, THAT WAS FUN!!!! WE SHOULD DO A RACE THROUGH ALL OF HELL, TOP TO BOTTOM. SEE WHO WINS!]
VB had always wanted to do a full race, she had heard other machines talk about it. It sounded exhilarating. Once the mess was cleaned up, she glanced back up at Michael, sweeping an arm out behind her. The library was entirely empty at this hour.
[WELCOME TO THE LUST LAYER CENTRAL LIBRARY!!! HOME TO BOOKS AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS GALORE.]
Michael couldn’t help but find your response amusing, a machine that’s so used to crashing into things… it honestly shouldn’t surprise him at this point, but he couldn’t deny that witnessing your complete lack of self control was just so interesting to him
“You truly are one of a kind, VB. I don’t think I’ve ever met a machine as intriguing as you, fuck… I just might take you up on that offer as well! I haven’t really gotten the chance to spread my wings and take flight like this in a long time!”
The eldest of the Archangels then turned his attention to the massive library, it honestly surprised him to see so many manuscripts, books, and… even some tomes! Some of these things looked like they belonged in the Tower of Babel! How they ended up in Hell, he’ll never know
“Hm, I must say, this is a very interesting and surprising amount of material… a few of these look like they came straight out of the Tower of Babel! Which I didn’t think was possible, impressive!”
VB's wings clicked a few times back and forth, clearly pleased with the praise. There was probably something buried in its programing that made it fond of praise, but VB was more a mechanics person, not digging around in its internal code very much.
[YOU SHOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT– GET OUT OF HEAVEN FOR AWHILE.]
Michael did seem like he needed a break from the stressors of Heaven. If he ever wanted to be in Hell instead, even just for a bit, as long as VB was tailing him he'd... probably go without being bothered. Probably.
VB was intimately familiar with the library– it had spent many times bouncing between the shelves, scanning through data and updating its internal database. It didn't seem to match the atmosphere, a chaotic machine like itself, but it loved the data.
[THERE IS A LOT HERE– KING MINOS CARES A LOT ABOUT KEEPING IT WELL PRESERVED. LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING.]
Michael thinks on your offer while also looking over rows of shelves, so many things here, he just couldn’t believe that they even existed in Hell to begin with, a pleasant surprise, one he welcomed with two sets of open arms
“I definitely will take you up on that offer, VB. It’s as you surmised, I’ve been stuck in Heaven, stressing out, for far too long now… being able to spread my wings and just let loose, fuck around, would be of great benefit.”
As the eldest of the Archangels spoke, he seemed to find a shelf that caught his attention, one that was filled with tomes, definitely from the Tower of Babel, he could tell just by the way they looked, and Michael hadn’t forgotten his original reason for being here, he needed that info
“Honestly, knowing King Minos, that doesn’t surprise me one bit. He always wants what’s best for everyone, I truly do admire his passion for keeping records, and… I’ve always felt horribly guilty… all of us Archangels do… he didn’t deserve that fate…”
VB’s wings perked up, and he made a happy trilling sound. He couldn’t wait to race Michael through Hell, he’d need to plan and try to find something to slow him down so that VB could win this time.
[GOOD. IT’LL BE GOOD FOR YOU. WE’RE ON!!!!]
She skated by Michael’s side as he looked over all the books. VB would break off on her own, but Michael already seemed to be drawn to the heavy tomes, and she was curious as to why. She hadn’t scanned that particular shelf before, it had never caught her eye other than being noted as old.
They looked slightly confused at mention of Minos’ fate, internal mechanisms clicking for a moment before processing what Michael meant by that.
[OH– YOU MEAN THE DEATH OF KING MINOS?]
He forgot that the kings die, he had learned it in other universes he hopped around to, but it wasn’t yet relevant information in his home universe, so he often didn’t really think about it.
[IT HAS NOT HAPPENED HERE YET. I FORGOT IT HAS HAPPENED IN MOST PLACES. IT IS STRANGE TO THINK HE COULD DIE.]
Michael turns to you, a sly smirk on his darkness shrouded face, he always loved challenges like this, it gave him a chance to spread his wings and truly let loose after such a long time of being indoors, he truly needed these things
“Haha! Oh I sure as Hell hope so, VB! Scheme all you want, there’s no outrunning me! As I’m sure you were able to see on our descent! No matter what you do, nothing will-“
He paused, Minos hadn’t died yet? How is such a thing possible? He saw both Gabriel and Seraph do it, so… that’s when it clicked in the mind of the eldest of the Archangels, a different universe… one where Minos, and by proxy, Sisyphus, had yet to die… he couldn’t help but feel a slight pang in his heart… you had yet to experience… everything…
“I see… VB, when… the inevitable fall of Lust does occur in your universe… although I know many will try to prevent it… I can only hope that they succeed this time around… feel free to seek me out for asylum… I’ll be there for you, no matter what, ok?”
VB looked at Michael carefully. He hadn’t interacted with anyone from a different universe than his own who seemed… upset about the death of Minos. Especially not an archangel like Michael. The shutters of his optic squinted slightly.
[WHY ARE YOU UPSET– DIDN’T HEAVEN CALL FOR HIS DEATH?]
That seemed to be the general consensus in other universes, at least. Minos would be killed on order from the Council, he’d be imprisoned, and his soul would form a prime soul, meaning he didn’t really die.
[IT SEEMS TO BE AN EVENT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, NOT SOMETHING PREVENTABLE. THOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR OFFER, YOU ARE… VERY KIND.]
Its internal mechanisms made a few strange clicking sounds, a little flustered at how kind Michael was, considering VB had just met him.
Michael looks down, yes, the death of Minos was ordered by Heaven… but unfortunately you didn’t know the half of it… how so many of them tried to change the minds of… them… but nothing worked… it was always the same song and dance…
“Heaven did call for his death, VB, but… we tried so hard to fight back against The Council… those fuckers are so corrupt… they never listen to reason… they don’t care… Gabriel had no choice… they threatened him severely if he didn’t…”
The eldest of the Archangels let out a sigh as he tried to think of something else, but he just couldn’t, that event… there had to be some way to prevent it from happening once more… Minos didn’t deserve his fate… he deserved to live… same with Sisyphus…
“I’ll find a way to prevent it, VB… I don’t care what it takes… King Minos along with King Sisyphus deserve to live… in your dimension… their fates can be changed..! And… thank you, for the compliment, I appreciate it..!”
VB made a few small whirring sounds as he processed the information. The idea that many of the angels are actually against the Council changed… a lot in his database. It recontextualized quite a lot of actions.
[I THOUGHT THAT THE ANGELS LIKED THE COUNCIL– DO THEY NOT?]
Now he was incredibly curious about the politics of Heaven– he didn’t really talk to angels all that much, and especially not an archangel like Michael. He stepped closer, clicking his roller skates on and off. The deaths of Minos and Sisyphus were… admittedly not as big a deal to VB. He didn’t get the fuss if they’d just come back anyways.
[THEY COME BACK TO LIFE THOUGH. THEIR DEATH IS NOT A CHANGEABLE EVENT BUT NEITHER IS THEIR REBIRTH.]
If they would be reborn anyways, why was Michael so concerned about them dying in this world?
Michael knew he had to explain to you why so many in Heaven feared The Council… why they were worse than any and all demons he knew about… and why… their corruption had gone on for too long…
“It… may seem that way, VB, but… behind the scenes of what everyone sees, is nothing but horror… be it abuse… assault… cult like behavior… cannibalism… you name it… The Council is pure fucking evil… they make what takes place in Hell look like absolute paradise.”
At the mention of how the deaths and rebirths of both Minos and Sisyphus were all but inevitable events, the eldest of the Archangels took a breath, he knew this… and yet it still stung… horribly…
“The inevitably of both events can’t be avoided, I know but… that doesn’t mean that they deserve it… such things shouldn’t be decided on a whim… King Minos and King Sisyphus deserve to live… not suffer throughout every timeline… it’s… just not fair…”
VB’s lenses readjusted, making it look like his eye went wide. He… didn’t know that about the Council. It made a lot of sense, in hindsight, that they were a terrible group of people, but…
[WHY ARE THEY STILL IN POWER? YOU SAID CULT, BUT… YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR INFLUENCE, SURELY THERE ARE OTHERS TO HELP YOU OVERTHROW THEM?]
VB could…. help. It would probably be the last thing he ever did, but he’d be willing to try.
[I COULD HELP– BAD FIGHTER. BUT I COULD TRY.]
If what Michael said was true, VB wanted to help. They had to get rid of the Council so that the angels could have reform similar to that in Hell. It felt absurd that the layers of Hell had better government systems in place than… Heaven itself.
VB whirred slightly when Michael continued to talk. He… sounded incredibly guilty about their deaths, but VB didn’t understand still why. Sure, them not suffering would be great, but… they would still come back again. Perhaps VB didn’t need to understand why– they weren’t always the best with emotions.
[IF THE COUNCIL WAS GONE, PERHAPS THEY WOULDN’T DIE. NO ONE TO GIVE THE ORDER.]
Right… you didn’t know… Michael looked down, The Council… it didn’t matter what your ranking in Heaven was… be it lesser or Seraphim… they didn’t care… he hated it… so much… recalling everything… how the rot would never vanish…
“The Council… they don’t give two fucks about your ranking in Heaven… VB… it doesn’t matter if you’re a lesser angel or a Seraphim… they use and abuse you all the same… my brothers and I… even as Archangels… weren’t spared from their cruelty… we never were… and never will be…”
Upon hearing you not only bring up that you’d be willing to fight, but also how if The Council was gone, then Minos and Sisyphus wouldn’t die, such thoughts… the eldest of the Archangels wished they could become a reality, he truly did
“No matter how many times you kill them… they just keep reforming… the rot remains… an unending and disgusting cycle… a “holy” Ouroboros… King Minos and King Sisyphus… their deaths are all but assured in every timeline… and I hate it… so much…”
VB listened to everything Michael said intently, wings drooping down the longer he spoke. If there was seemingly no way to get rid of the Council, if their rule was an inevitable… how was any change ever supposed to be made? His systems whirred as he processed the information, trying to think of something to counter Michael, an idea to overthrow the Council entirely. He vented out air, sounding like a huffy sigh, when he couldn’t think of anything.
[…SORRY.]
It was all she could think to say, apologizing for the situation that Michael and the angels all seemed stuck in. It was a bizarre situation, that the angels had seemingly worse lives than those in Hell.
[DO YOU HAVE TO STAY IN HEAVEN? COULD YOU LEAVE?]
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but… if Michael and his siblings just moved to Hell instead, would that solve the problem? Or would the Council just extend their reach down here as well? They supposed it would be the latter, considering they had no problem killing both of the kings by proxy.
Michael could feel how much you wanted to find a solution for him and all the other angels that resided in Heaven… but what you didn’t account for was that some of the angels that resided there… were far from holy…
“I truly do still hold out a sliver of hope that things will change one day, VB, but… it’s been eons… and change has yet to come… Hell, there are some angels in Heaven who… don’t deserve to be there… those reprobates…”
The sol behind the eldest of the Archangels began to flicker as sparks fell to the floor, flammable, but luckily they didn’t ignite, he had control over them, for now at least… leaving Heaven for Hell… they tried once before… it… wasn’t pretty…
“Unfortunately me and my brothers can’t leave… At least not until Heaven completely falls apart… The Council’s reach is… horrifying… they’ll do anything and everything to ensure that we stay in line… like good little soldiers…”
VB was upset now, upset that there wasn’t a clear solution for her to give Michael that could help his situation. She didn’t want him to have to live under the thumb of the Council, it wasn’t fair. He deserved to live his life, far away from all of them. She was making an angry droning sound, clicking her skates on and off rapidly.
[IT IS NOT FAIR– YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THE COUNCIL PINNING YOU LIKE A BUG UNDER THEIR THUMB.]
They, unfortunately, were not surprised that all of Heaven’s angels were not, well, angels. With the Council as the ruling body of Heaven, it only made sense, that Heaven had angels that were… not the greatest. That only made them angrier, optic shutters narrowing into a squint as they continued to drone.
[HEAVEN IS STUPID. ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE NO BETTER THAN SINNERS IN HELL– WHAT IS THE POINT?]
There was no distinction in VB’s mind between the two– Heaven was just as bad. Especially with the more he head from Michael, he was certain that was the case.
Michael could easily tell just how upset you had become, and he couldn’t blame you… Heaven truly was worse than Hell… there wasn’t a way to argue against such a fact… especially when taken into account the most recent discoveries…
“I agree fully, VB, but… The Council won’t allow us to walk free… unless we want to experience abuse that’s far worse than what we endured before… those threats and scare tactics keep us in line…”
The eldest of the Archangels couldn’t help but think back to everything… it hurt him so much… he did all he could to ensure the safety of not only his brothers… but also those who truly didn’t deserve what was unleashed upon them…
“This information will frustrate you further, but… there are some angels that reside in Heaven who… think taking advantage of those who are weaker… more vulnerable… is perfectly fine and not a crime… two were recently killed… I aided in the death of one… he abused my daughter… but… one still remains… and he is beyond dangerous…”
VB just… didn’t understand. They didn’t understand, how could Heaven run successfully with a leadership model like the Council? What could they possibly do to keep an archangel like Michael in line? They supposed having angels that sided with them, that were just as terrible and manipulative as they were, probably helped bolster their control. Their wings were twitching with anger as they continued to make that droning, upset noise.
[ANGELS ARE NOT ABOVE ANYONE IN MORALITY– THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR HORRIBLE THINGS.]
It wasn’t enough. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the fact that there were angels so willing to take advantage of those weaker than them, it felt… opposite to everything she had read about angelic life. Though, she supposed, that was probably it. Readings were not equivalent to real life, lived experiences.
[I AM GLAD YOU AIDED IN THE DEATH OF ONE, BUT THE OTHER MUST DIE. LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.]
He was still stuck on that– he wanted the Council dead for Michael… even though it would probably spring back up in another form, at least it would be a respite from the hell.
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