Haydn had been hoping his answer would be different this time. But no. “No one but Library.Exe,” he had sighed, “is able to access that information. Woe is us..”
"Please, 030." Haydn begged, looking at the server with despair. "I figured it out--the reason Library.Exe keeps you around is because you don't just host the Minecraft servers--you're hosting something big? Aren't you?"
030 was silent, and Haydn narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, you need to tell me no--"
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Immediately, the server's screen turned black, and a message began to flash on his screen.
"Haydn, Haydn! I CAN'T! I'm under strict orders not to no no no! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" it's normally droll voice had risen to a painful frequency, and Haydn flinched. Obviously he wasn't getting anything from the server. And with that, the little fleeting bit of hope he had fled.
"..Fine." was all he replied with, turning and blindly finding his way out of the server room. His stomach was in knots and his mouth felt sour. Dejected and feeling very, very tired, he made his way home.
When he opened the door to his lab, she was there. Ignis. Surprised, he opened his mouth, but she cut him right off.
“Haydn, let's keep this short. About a week ago, I realized this information would be vital to you. It wouldn't be too hard for me to get it, so I did. But—I should have done it sooner. He's trusted me with a lot. I don't—you know I don't have a loyalty program. I was sworn into loyalty—I.” Ignis stops, blinking rapidly, and then she turns away. “..I was keeping it from you. I'm terrible, Haydn.”
Silence stretches out as Haydn slowly rotates the data in his hand. And then, he speaks. “Why?” He sounds tired.
“..I think I was punishing him, in some awful way. And before you say it—yes. I was hurting Wifi. But—ahaha, oh god, Haydn.” she covers her mouth, and immediately that dignified attitude she always has crumples away. She barely chokes her words out. “My entire life has been betraying people for myself. Patty? Patty—I hurt her. You read the sixth chapter. You know what happens. I—I did it willingly, too. I'm the worst.” She swallows loudly.
“Giving you that by no means makes anything up. Caring for everyone—that doesn't make everything right. But it helps. It soothes a little—see? I'm terrible. I just want peace for myself. And I'll never get it. I deserve it, Haydn. I'm sorry.” she clasps her hands over her face. “I-I'm so sorry.”
Haydn looks at the folder in his hand. Thick. Important. He looks at her, though of course she doesn't meet his gaze. The silence stretches on for a long, long time until he sighs.
“..At least you gave it up. That's something. You are kind of terrible though, I think.” he clutches the file close to his chest. “But I'm in no position to judge you. And frankly, what you've done for Library.Exe doesn't currently matter to me.” and then he suddenly feels a pang of anger as she lets out a choked sob. “Stop CRYING, Ignis!” she looks up at him, startled, but he keeps going on. “You're not HELPING like that. Go ! Go find Wifi! Keep him sane for just a few more days—are you going to do that?! ARE YOU?” he stomps his foot down, baring his teeth like some kind of angry animal. “Well?!”
She slowly nods her head, murmuring a “Yes, I think I will--” and then leaves with a flutter of her skirt. Haydn looks down at the file, feeling his skin tremble.
