Here's Megabyte's POV of Chapter 4. I hope you like it!
It's been a while since Megabyte has been back at this part of Pizza City. Angelica tended to avoid it, avoid the town where her old restaurant used to stand. Megabyte understood it, even though Angelica never outright admitted she was avoiding it. The people in this city had long memories, longer than Megabyte was comfortable with.
And now Angelica was back. Not in the same spot. They were one hour away by car. Maybe half an hour, if Megabyte was quick. Megabyte didn't know if Angelica had chosen the Cursed Pizza Square because it was an important location, or because of the Rookie Ovenist who'd allegedly defeated Dr. Keh a few days ago. It could be both. Megabyte knows that Angelica has been excited to see the new Ovenist, and learn how they'd defeated Dr. Keh. Sometimes she even smiled without the edge that she usually had.
It's been a while since Megabyte has seen Angelica act like this. At least five years. Megabyte's feelings towards this new Ovenist are more complicated, because he worries that this new Ovenist may try to crush Angelica too. But it's a good thing, to see part of the old Angelica coming back. Megabyte had almost thought there was 0% chance that Angelica would be happy again.
Angelica's newfound excitement doesn't last long. Within ten minutes of her visit to the Rookie Ovenist, Angelica is venting about how the Ovenist had said 'it was just luck and hard work.'
Megabyte isn't sure he gets it-Angelica also passed off her talent as hard work-but as Angelica starts talking it becomes more clear. Angelica had spent too much, just to fail at deterring Dr. Keh. And now the Rookie Ovenist was claiming they succeeded with the same techniques Angelica used.
Megabyte doesn't say anything-out of everything he'd tried, listening was the only thing that made Angelica feel better-and hopes it works.
It does work, in a way. Angelica no longer has the same happiness she used to have, but most of the frustration is gone.
Angelica then tells him to visit one of the nearby shops and try out their pizzas.
Don't try out the Rookie Ovenist's pizzas just yet. She adds.
Megabyte is somewhat dismayed at the command, and slightly unnerved by the intensity. He'd wanted to talk to the Rookie Ovenist himself-both to see if they were a threat, and possibly learn more about them. But he doesn't want to upset Angelica, so he doesn't protest.
Hopefully whatever strange mood Angelica is in will pass.
Angelica's strange mood gets worse. Megabyte is concerned, because he knows that Angelica is bothered by something. Something that she refuses to talk about, even to him. Whenever he asks, she always redirects it to another request to visit another pizzeria. Megabyte loves visiting other pizzerias. He tells this to Angelica every time she notices his hesitance. He does truly enjoy it, learning the different techniques and spices that the other Ovenists used. There was something fascinating about how the Ovenists here worked. They were less prone to using machinery. They used spices and combinations that people from Olive Plaza would never have thought of. One even juggled the pizzas, something Megabyte had watched for hours.
It wasn't an issue of enjoyment. Megabyte could live here happily forever, if Angelica requested it. But he is worried about Angelica's strange mood. Was it because of the new Rookie Ovenist? They did often have lines, and Megabyte was worried about the same story repeating again. A new Ovenist with unusual talent, taking over the business again.
But when Megabyte states this worry, Angelica simply tells him that she's not worried.
Megabyte knows she's lying.
The first thing Megabyte notices is the smell. Megabyte knows that smell isn't everything, but this smell...Megabyte would often tell other Ovenists that their pizza smell made his circuits go haywire. But this time, it was real. His circuits really were going haywire.
Megabyte introduces himself to the Ovenist, and notices that they seem a bit wowed.
Megabyte thinks it should be easy to get a pizza.
The Rookie Ovenist tenses up the moment Megabyte asks if they make pizza. Megabyte strongly feels like he should leave, but Angelica had asked him to try the Rookie Ovenist's pizza. And Megabyte was becoming curious if the Rookie Ovenist's pizza tasted as good as it smelled.
Nope. The Rookie Ovenist just looks uncomfortable. Almost scared. Or maybe it was Megabyte's imagination. Either way, Megabyte knows he cannot continue. Even if Angelica asks for it.
He hopes Angelica isn't disappointed.
Angelica isn't disappointed when Megabyte tells her that he couldn't get any pizza, thankfully. She tells him that some people were just strange, and Megabyte already had the adoration of all of Pizza City.
But her assessment is very false.
Megabyte is not sure if the Rookie Ovenist did something, the same way Dr. Keh had twisted public opinion of Angelica. But now every time Megabyte goes anywhere people react with fear. Even the same people who used to interact with him positively. The man who juggled pizza kicks Megabyte out of his shop. The customers at another shop won't let Megabyte join the line. Even the customers at Big Data Pizza look resentful, from time to time.
Megabyte tries talking about it with Angelica, but he never does it again. She looks guilty-Megabyte isn't entirely sure why, but he doesn't want to see her upset like this again.
Angelica asks Megabyte to visit the Rookie Ovenist again. Megabyte does not want to. He is tired of the looks and glares he gets, every time he leaves the building. But Angelica has requested it, and he wants to make up for failing like last time.
So Megabyte visits the Rookie Ovenist's pizzeria again. And he ignores the way the Rookie Ovenist seems calculating. He asks the Rookie Ovenist for a pizza. Thankfully, this time the Rookie Ovenist doesn't refuse. But their response is baffling. Why do you need pizzas?
Megabyte hadn't thought about it. And he doesn't get much time to think about it, before the Rookie Ovenist asks him another question. To steal recipes? Which is the most insulting thing that Megabyte had heard. He is about to leave-there is no use in listening to strange accusations like this-but then he sees how every other customer either winces or glares at Megabyte.
Is this the reason that everyone has been upset at Megabyte all week? They thought he was stealing recipes?
Megabyte knows that there is not really a point in trying to refute it. He knows from Angelica's fall that the people of Pizza City would continue to believe something (like Dr. Keh's innocence) even when given proof. But Megabyte is tired of being glared at, and falls into the same trap Angelica did. Megabyte starts running his code openly, in an effort to prove his innocence.
And to Megabyte's horror, the recipes of the places he visited are in his log. Every single one. The full, complete recipes.
Megabyte takes a minute to process it. And then he takes another. Because this is wrong. Megabyte had never saved any recipes. He had never wanted to steal any recipes.
And there was no good reason for Megabyte to have this data saved. Only bad reasons. Maybe a virus? He'd have to talk to Angelica. Now.
Maybe it was because Megabyte hadn't explained clearly. But when Megabyte explains his worries, Angelica doesn't immediately try to remove the virus or at least give Megabyte a date so he can be fixed. She doesn't even seem concerned. Megabyte's scanners must be wrong, because she looks guilty. Like she's waiting for Megabyte to judge her.
Megabyte tries explaining again. There is something wrong, he has a virus, and he wants it out. He does not want to have other people's recipes stored.
Angelica's face hardens. No.
It wasn't that likely, that a virus had changed Megabyte's hearing, scanners, and code. Right? Megabyte runs his code again, but spots nothing wrong except for those horrible recipe folders.
But there must be something Megabyte is sensing. Angelica wouldn't be fine with Megabyte possibly storing recipes. Not after what happened with Dr. Keh.
Megabyte, listen. I know this is a shock, but I am doing this so that Big Data Pizza isn't taken down again. Angelica says. It is not as wrong as it appears. All these other competitors-Dr. Keh, the Ovenist-all of them! All of them are using techniques to stay afloat. Techniques that would bring Big Data Pizza down, if we didn't do the same. Do you want my restaurant to fail again?
Megabyte clearly remembers Dr. Keh saying the same thing to Angelica, after she confronted him about the formula. That everyone was using illicit means, and she'd have to do the same if she wanted to be successful. Otherwise, she was a sentimental fool.
Had Angelica really internalized that?
Angelica wouldn't. She wouldn't send Megabyte to steal recipes. Megabyte's code must be wrong.
But Megabyte still remembers. Being sent from restaurant to restaurant to restaurant. Angelica's guilt when he told her about people kicking him out of stores.
Angelica wouldn't do that.
All evidence pointed towards her doing it.
Megabyte reboots, hoping that it will fix whatever is wrong. Then he reboots again. But it is the same. Angelica is still trying to convince him to go to another restaurant even though she knows that he has recipes stored and-
Megabyte cannot do this. He needs to think.
Megabyte turns his wheels to the fastest speed he can do, and drives out of the restaurant.
Megabyte ends up at Pepperoni Plaza. It was a public space, and Megabyte is unable to ignore how everyone looks at him. Did they think he was stealing recipes too? Was Megabyte stealing recipes? Megabyte wishes the answer was no, but the files were still there. The files of every restaurant Megabyte visited.
Then something occurs to Megaybyte. These were the files of every restaurant that shut down.
Everyone uses techniques like this, Angelica! The only ones who don’t are fools who wonder why their restaurants close.
It is not as wrong as it appears. All these other competitors-Dr. Keh, the Ovenist-all of them! All of them are using techniques to stay afloat. Techniques that would bring Big Data Pizza down, if we didn't do the same. Do you want my restaurant to fail again?
But Angelica wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. She wouldn’t do that. Even if she did use illicit techniques, she wouldn’t use Megabyte for them. Megabyte is positive.
It was a virus. Not Angelica. A virus.
Megabyte does another scan.
There’s a command to send the recipes to Angelica’s personal computer.
It takes a few hours, and several messages from Angelica, but Megabyte finally processes the truth. Angelica was stealing recipes. She was using Megabyte to do it.
And Megabyte would have to do something soon. Angelica was calling him back. Megabyte could do as she says. He could go back, and make Angelica happy. He knows this is her way of dealing with the loss of her restaurant.
But Megabye cannot. He knows the sadness of having a business struck down, and the indignity of it being not due to skill, but cheating. At least if you lost due to skill, you could get better. You could potentially gain more skill to defeat them. But it was impossible to beat an opponent who cheated even if you had the best pizzas in Pizza City. Angelica sends another message. She's coming to find him.
Megabyte feels like it's not enough time, but he knows he has to make a decision. He could go back. Make Angelica happy. He wants desperately to go back, and make everything fine. Surely she will reconsider.
But she may not. She may put another virus into Megabyte, and take away Megabyte's ability to resist. Megabyte cannot take the risk.
But what can Megabyte do now?
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After some rebooting, Megabyte decides to talk to the Rookie Ovenist. They'd been the only person direct enough to confront Megabyte about stealing recipes, so they may have more direct advice for what Megabyte should do. And additionally, they were the only Ovenist not struggling to stay open lately. Megabyte would need that talent.
Fortunately, the Rookie Ovenist is easy to find. They're still working.
Megabyte feels shy, remembering the wariness and anger everyone else had treated him with. But that was why he was here! He was trying to not steal recipes. He needed to find a way to overcome the virus.
So Megabyte explains his problems. He doesn't want to steal recipes, but he loves pizzas. He's unsure of what to do next.
Just choose. The Rookie Ovenist says.
Just choose? Megabyte is unsure if it is possible, and it is unlikely that Angelica will let him go. But Megabyte hasn't truly thought it through...maybe if he left, he could find a solution. It would take time for Angelica to find him, and he could find a way to leave after that. He might even be able to delete the virus, if he had time.
Megabyte is busy the next few days, hiding outside of Pizza City, changing his code. He is unwilling to completely remove the parts of him that connect him to Angelica. The messaging, the specific codes she's installed. But deleting the virus that causes Megabyte to store recipes is easy. Just time consuming. It takes Megabyte days just to delete it, and a few more days to ensure that Angelica cannot re-download it.
Angelica knows that Megabyte is deleting the documents. She'd been sending him repeated messages. Come back. She can re-install new software. Does he not care about the restaurant? She can create another robot to do Megabyte's task.
Megabyte ignores her. It is hard, but he knows that he cannot talk to her. If he does, he will give up and go back. So he continues deleting software.
It is still hard. Angelica is very upset. Megabyte call tell due to how her messages are quickly sent, how she corrects herself quickly, how she doesn't even bother using punctuation in half of her sentences.
The final message is after Megabyte has completely deleted the virus. I can still take down that Ovenist you care about so much. I control every ingredient in this town. They will not be able to keep up with me. Not when they cannot afford ingredients, but I can put them at low price!
Megabyte knows he has to tell the Rookie Ovenist about that. There is a 10% chance they will be able to stop Angelica, but maybe Megabyte can increase the chance. Hopefully the Ovenist who defeated Dr. Keh can pull off another miracle.
This time, Megabyte decides to get a pizza. He wants to see if the Ovenist's pizza is good enough to defeat Angelica. He also wants to enjoy a good pizza again. Megabyte has not eaten any pizza for a while, and he misses it.
The pizza is amazing, and satisfies every craving Megabyte has had during that long week. Megabyte briefly expresses his happiness, before telling the Rookie Ovenist about Angelica's plan.
She shouldn't. The Rookie Ovenist says.
Megabyte cannot nod, so he verbally agrees. She shouldn't. She wouldn't. Even now, it was difficult to see the same Angelica who'd been determined to never cheat using illicit methods to hurt others.
But that hadn't worked. Megabyte remembers that Angelica had refused to use a formula, even when the doctor proposed it. Even after Angelica's family proposed it. She refused to sabotage anyone, and felt guilty for changing Dr. Keh's hair color even though it was a harmless change.
And then she had lost to the current Rookie Ovenist. Dr. Keh.
Maybe she felt that she could've saved her restaurant, if she'd sabotaged Dr. Keh before he could even become famous. If she'd stolen his recipe, and used it against him.
If she'd used it against the Rookie Ovenist whose shop was in front of hers.
But Megabyte refused to be like her. He can still hear Angelica's frequent messages and anger that he was in the Rookie Ovenist's shop. But he turns on mute and leaves.
Things happen very quickly after Megabyte leaves. Quicker than Megabyte is able to process. Within a few days, Angelica's restaurant is shutting down.
For unknown reasons. Just like last time.
Megabyte feels guilty, even though he knows that it was the only way to protect the remaining pizzerias.
Megabyte gets a message from Angelica. Megabyte almost doesn't open it, because he knows that it'll be full of anger.
But instead it says I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used you to steal recipes like that.
Megabyte sends her a message back. I forgive you. He is not sure if she is telling the truth, but it is true that he is not angry.
Angelica sends another message, asking if she can see him in person to apologize. Megabyte remembers the wariness and the horror of finding out he was being used to hurt people. No. I wish you the best in whatever business you set up. But I will not meet you.
It hurts a lot to say. Megabyte wishes it was not necessary. He misses her. He hopes that one day, he won't be afraid when he meets her again.
I wish you the best. Even if it is with that horrible Ovenist. Angelica sends. I appreciate you helping me.
Megabyte doesn't get any messages after that.
He really does miss her. He wishes he could be satisfied with her apology. He wishes he could talk to Angelica.
As part of the changes in Big Data Pizza, Megabyte is replaced. Megabyte is left feeling purposeless. He had no one to make pizzas for.
So he goes back to the Rookie Ovenist (he should consider changing that title. They were no longer a rookie) for help.
The Rookie Ovenist looks thrilled to have Megabyte join, and even more excited when Megabyte explains how quickly he can make pizzas. The Zazoom Delivery workers are also thrilled to see him whenever he gives them an order. Some of them even watch him, even though it will make them late for their shift. It is an amazing change. Megabyte hopes it will be enough to make him happy.
this is SO good, I'm sobbing.
