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@undeadinred
“ Sometimes you don't learn the first time. Or the second. Or the fifth. Or ever, if you're V1. “
Welcome to my lil blog for my take on / au of V2!
Blog ran by Cy [ @kitaxxia ] [ @archangelcypher ]
Info & Rules are below the extend :)
⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊
ANOTHER ME?
MESSAGE:
> Another me?
WOW THERES SO MANY OF US
MESSAGE:
> There are, I was unaware more models such as ourselves were under production
> Are there others by any chance?
YES I HAVE CAME ACROSS 2 OTHER V2 MODELS NOT INCLUDING YOU
MESSAGE:
> Oh huh
> That's a lot of us
“I wonder why.”
[ We really do just keep multiplying huh. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Minato shifts around before opening his chest plate, pulling a tube out... Seems that's the fuel port.
He seems unsure however. Despite the fact 20% is akin to someone nearly starved to death. Nearing the end of life.
And yet ... Minato doesn't seem afraid, he seems apathetic at most.
It's a strange change to him... At the beginning of his decent into hell he would pray to God to survive.
He knows better now.
He's grown wiser.
God left.
And he's never coming back.
...
She let out a beep of acknowledgment upon seeing the port, reaching down to her siphoning systems.
One firm yank with the knuckleblaster later and the fuel line from the siphon setup finally cooperated, extending up to meet where his rested. She took her time to connect it, far gentler than her usual way, hoping it wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable for him. With the lines secured, the clear cabling soon pulsed with fresh crimson, funnelling straight through into him. She silently thanked whatever madman decided to give her such a large main tank, once again being useful in another unintended way.
[ You’ve got to start taking care of yourself. ]
[ For someone who talks about the good blood supplies here you sure aren’t using them. ]
[ Unfortunately for you i’m not a mother bird and would prefer not to have to regurgitate my dinner every time I swing by after a hunt. ]
"... Sorry."
Minato closes his optic as the blood entered his supply. Slowly.... It was a strange feeling to him. Besides Bug, he's never had a war machine just... Willingly share blood with him.
"..."
He leans against his sister, waiting quietly, watching his fuel tick up slowly until...
"I'm at 50% now ... It'll be enough."
Minato said softly. Quietly.... He's fucking tired to be honest. He's exhausted but doesn't want to rest.
[ You can take more. You go through it a lot quicker than I do. ]
[ And… you don’t have to apologise. I just worry about you. ]
He kept an eye on his own fuel levels as they ticked down. The once comfortable 95% had now rounded out at the 70% mark, but he could spare a decent bit more before he even felt the hunger. That in itself was both a blessing and a curse, while the lack of hunger made him less bloodthirsty, it never made refuelling any less dire.
He hugged him again and let a light huff out of his fans.
[ Besides, we gotta get you more fuel and tidy up. That’ll take a lot out of you. ]
Minato seems unsure, anxious.
"are.... You sure? The flesh cave is just across the island. we can both fuel there... even if the blood tastes a bit .... off. It's still safe. It's practically infinite."
A bit of logic, but also... Desperation for her to stop and... Stop worrying about him... to stop using her my life for his.
to...
...
He silently begins to cry again.
Athene nodded, a soft beep leaving his voicebox.
[ I’m sure. You prefer the good stuff so you may as well take it. ]
[ I always have enough in my emergency reserves to get home anyway, but if push comes to shove you can throw me in the lake if I need to top up. ]
She hugged him tightly again, trying her best to calm and reassure him. She could tell he was trying to resist letting her help, but she was used to it at this point. Unfortunately for him, she was stubborn about taking care of him before worrying about herself. A preference for keeping the only V1 she knew was consistently real alive, she supposed.
[ It’s your call though. Disconnect the line if you’re uncomfortable. ]
"...."
Minato sniffles, in fact.... He slowly changes in terms of attitude and mannerisms.
"........hh....h...."
The tube. What is this tube. Why is their stomach open.
What is the tube. Blood. This isn't human. This isn't something they're supposed to do.
So much blood.
So much blood.
The children scream.
Athene locks up for a second, her joints refusing to cooperate as she observed. The screaming pierced through her with little resistance, and in a panicked response she dulled her audio processors. Scouring her protocols for what would be the best course of action gave little results, so she acted on this subtle yet nagging instinct she had instead.
Her knuckleblaster cupped the back of his head, pulling him in to a much closer hug so she could obstruct his view of the cabling. She leant against him, softly humming. It was some sort of soothing technique, but she didn’t have a clue where she knew it from- she was just praying it would work.
Her whiplash soon met the blood cabling aswell, very, very gently loosening it so if push came to shove, yanking it out wouldn’t cause major damage. Better to be safe than sorry now.
"mommy...! Where's mommy...?!"
One child cried,
"papa-! Papa it hurts ...!"
Another wailed,
"why is everything dark..?!"
Another murmured,
The children were in absolute agony, stuck in the past and terrified. All they could do was...
...
Hug Athene. While sobbing.
"miss Athene...!"
[ Shhhh… it’s okay. I’m here. ]
Athene began to rub soft circles into his back, gently holding him with all her arms now the whiplash had finished its task.
[ I’ll take care of you. ]
She began to softly sway, rocking him in a feeble attempt to soothe them and their panic. The best she could do was play it by ear at this point, knowing that what worked last time wasn’t guaranteed to work this time. But she had to try, that was part of her role after all- otherwise could she really call herself his sister?
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Minato shifts around before opening his chest plate, pulling a tube out... Seems that's the fuel port.
He seems unsure however. Despite the fact 20% is akin to someone nearly starved to death. Nearing the end of life.
And yet ... Minato doesn't seem afraid, he seems apathetic at most.
It's a strange change to him... At the beginning of his decent into hell he would pray to God to survive.
He knows better now.
He's grown wiser.
God left.
And he's never coming back.
...
She let out a beep of acknowledgment upon seeing the port, reaching down to her siphoning systems.
One firm yank with the knuckleblaster later and the fuel line from the siphon setup finally cooperated, extending up to meet where his rested. She took her time to connect it, far gentler than her usual way, hoping it wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable for him. With the lines secured, the clear cabling soon pulsed with fresh crimson, funnelling straight through into him. She silently thanked whatever madman decided to give her such a large main tank, once again being useful in another unintended way.
[ You’ve got to start taking care of yourself. ]
[ For someone who talks about the good blood supplies here you sure aren’t using them. ]
[ Unfortunately for you i’m not a mother bird and would prefer not to have to regurgitate my dinner every time I swing by after a hunt. ]
"... Sorry."
Minato closes his optic as the blood entered his supply. Slowly.... It was a strange feeling to him. Besides Bug, he's never had a war machine just... Willingly share blood with him.
"..."
He leans against his sister, waiting quietly, watching his fuel tick up slowly until...
"I'm at 50% now ... It'll be enough."
Minato said softly. Quietly.... He's fucking tired to be honest. He's exhausted but doesn't want to rest.
[ You can take more. You go through it a lot quicker than I do. ]
[ And… you don’t have to apologise. I just worry about you. ]
He kept an eye on his own fuel levels as they ticked down. The once comfortable 95% had now rounded out at the 70% mark, but he could spare a decent bit more before he even felt the hunger. That in itself was both a blessing and a curse, while the lack of hunger made him less bloodthirsty, it never made refuelling any less dire.
He hugged him again and let a light huff out of his fans.
[ Besides, we gotta get you more fuel and tidy up. That’ll take a lot out of you. ]
Minato seems unsure, anxious.
"are.... You sure? The flesh cave is just across the island. we can both fuel there... even if the blood tastes a bit .... off. It's still safe. It's practically infinite."
A bit of logic, but also... Desperation for her to stop and... Stop worrying about him... to stop using her my life for his.
to...
...
He silently begins to cry again.
Athene nodded, a soft beep leaving his voicebox.
[ I’m sure. You prefer the good stuff so you may as well take it. ]
[ I always have enough in my emergency reserves to get home anyway, but if push comes to shove you can throw me in the lake if I need to top up. ]
She hugged him tightly again, trying her best to calm and reassure him. She could tell he was trying to resist letting her help, but she was used to it at this point. Unfortunately for him, she was stubborn about taking care of him before worrying about herself. A preference for keeping the only V1 she knew was consistently real alive, she supposed.
[ It’s your call though. Disconnect the line if you’re uncomfortable. ]
"...."
Minato sniffles, in fact.... He slowly changes in terms of attitude and mannerisms.
"........hh....h...."
The tube. What is this tube. Why is their stomach open.
What is the tube. Blood. This isn't human. This isn't something they're supposed to do.
So much blood.
So much blood.
The children scream.
Athene locks up for a second, her joints refusing to cooperate as she observed. The screaming pierced through her with little resistance, and in a panicked response she dulled her audio processors. Scouring her protocols for what would be the best course of action gave little results, so she acted on this subtle yet nagging instinct she had instead.
Her knuckleblaster cupped the back of his head, pulling him in to a much closer hug so she could obstruct his view of the cabling. She leant against him, softly humming. It was some sort of soothing technique, but she didn’t have a clue where she knew it from- she was just praying it would work.
Her whiplash soon met the blood cabling aswell, very, very gently loosening it so if push came to shove, yanking it out wouldn’t cause major damage. Better to be safe than sorry now.
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Minato shifts around before opening his chest plate, pulling a tube out... Seems that's the fuel port.
He seems unsure however. Despite the fact 20% is akin to someone nearly starved to death. Nearing the end of life.
And yet ... Minato doesn't seem afraid, he seems apathetic at most.
It's a strange change to him... At the beginning of his decent into hell he would pray to God to survive.
He knows better now.
He's grown wiser.
God left.
And he's never coming back.
...
She let out a beep of acknowledgment upon seeing the port, reaching down to her siphoning systems.
One firm yank with the knuckleblaster later and the fuel line from the siphon setup finally cooperated, extending up to meet where his rested. She took her time to connect it, far gentler than her usual way, hoping it wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable for him. With the lines secured, the clear cabling soon pulsed with fresh crimson, funnelling straight through into him. She silently thanked whatever madman decided to give her such a large main tank, once again being useful in another unintended way.
[ You’ve got to start taking care of yourself. ]
[ For someone who talks about the good blood supplies here you sure aren’t using them. ]
[ Unfortunately for you i’m not a mother bird and would prefer not to have to regurgitate my dinner every time I swing by after a hunt. ]
"... Sorry."
Minato closes his optic as the blood entered his supply. Slowly.... It was a strange feeling to him. Besides Bug, he's never had a war machine just... Willingly share blood with him.
"..."
He leans against his sister, waiting quietly, watching his fuel tick up slowly until...
"I'm at 50% now ... It'll be enough."
Minato said softly. Quietly.... He's fucking tired to be honest. He's exhausted but doesn't want to rest.
[ You can take more. You go through it a lot quicker than I do. ]
[ And… you don’t have to apologise. I just worry about you. ]
He kept an eye on his own fuel levels as they ticked down. The once comfortable 95% had now rounded out at the 70% mark, but he could spare a decent bit more before he even felt the hunger. That in itself was both a blessing and a curse, while the lack of hunger made him less bloodthirsty, it never made refuelling any less dire.
He hugged him again and let a light huff out of his fans.
[ Besides, we gotta get you more fuel and tidy up. That’ll take a lot out of you. ]
Minato seems unsure, anxious.
"are.... You sure? The flesh cave is just across the island. we can both fuel there... even if the blood tastes a bit .... off. It's still safe. It's practically infinite."
A bit of logic, but also... Desperation for her to stop and... Stop worrying about him... to stop using her my life for his.
to...
...
He silently begins to cry again.
Athene nodded, a soft beep leaving his voicebox.
[ I’m sure. You prefer the good stuff so you may as well take it. ]
[ I always have enough in my emergency reserves to get home anyway, but if push comes to shove you can throw me in the lake if I need to top up. ]
She hugged him tightly again, trying her best to calm and reassure him. She could tell he was trying to resist letting her help, but she was used to it at this point. Unfortunately for him, she was stubborn about taking care of him before worrying about herself. A preference for keeping the only V1 she knew was consistently real alive, she supposed.
[ It’s your call though. Disconnect the line if you’re uncomfortable. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Minato shifts around before opening his chest plate, pulling a tube out... Seems that's the fuel port.
He seems unsure however. Despite the fact 20% is akin to someone nearly starved to death. Nearing the end of life.
And yet ... Minato doesn't seem afraid, he seems apathetic at most.
It's a strange change to him... At the beginning of his decent into hell he would pray to God to survive.
He knows better now.
He's grown wiser.
God left.
And he's never coming back.
...
She let out a beep of acknowledgment upon seeing the port, reaching down to her siphoning systems.
One firm yank with the knuckleblaster later and the fuel line from the siphon setup finally cooperated, extending up to meet where his rested. She took her time to connect it, far gentler than her usual way, hoping it wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable for him. With the lines secured, the clear cabling soon pulsed with fresh crimson, funnelling straight through into him. She silently thanked whatever madman decided to give her such a large main tank, once again being useful in another unintended way.
[ You’ve got to start taking care of yourself. ]
[ For someone who talks about the good blood supplies here you sure aren’t using them. ]
[ Unfortunately for you i’m not a mother bird and would prefer not to have to regurgitate my dinner every time I swing by after a hunt. ]
"... Sorry."
Minato closes his optic as the blood entered his supply. Slowly.... It was a strange feeling to him. Besides Bug, he's never had a war machine just... Willingly share blood with him.
"..."
He leans against his sister, waiting quietly, watching his fuel tick up slowly until...
"I'm at 50% now ... It'll be enough."
Minato said softly. Quietly.... He's fucking tired to be honest. He's exhausted but doesn't want to rest.
[ You can take more. You go through it a lot quicker than I do. ]
[ And… you don’t have to apologise. I just worry about you. ]
He kept an eye on his own fuel levels as they ticked down. The once comfortable 95% had now rounded out at the 70% mark, but he could spare a decent bit more before he even felt the hunger. That in itself was both a blessing and a curse, while the lack of hunger made him less bloodthirsty, it never made refuelling any less dire.
He hugged him again and let a light huff out of his fans.
[ Besides, we gotta get you more fuel and tidy up. That’ll take a lot out of you. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Minato shifts around before opening his chest plate, pulling a tube out... Seems that's the fuel port.
He seems unsure however. Despite the fact 20% is akin to someone nearly starved to death. Nearing the end of life.
And yet ... Minato doesn't seem afraid, he seems apathetic at most.
It's a strange change to him... At the beginning of his decent into hell he would pray to God to survive.
He knows better now.
He's grown wiser.
God left.
And he's never coming back.
...
She let out a beep of acknowledgment upon seeing the port, reaching down to her siphoning systems.
One firm yank with the knuckleblaster later and the fuel line from the siphon setup finally cooperated, extending up to meet where his rested. She took her time to connect it, far gentler than her usual way, hoping it wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable for him. With the lines secured, the clear cabling soon pulsed with fresh crimson, funnelling straight through into him. She silently thanked whatever madman decided to give her such a large main tank, once again being useful in another unintended way.
[ You’ve got to start taking care of yourself. ]
[ For someone who talks about the good blood supplies here you sure aren’t using them. ]
[ Unfortunately for you i’m not a mother bird and would prefer not to have to regurgitate my dinner every time I swing by after a hunt. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Minato nods slowly.
"yes .... I am currently at.... About 20% capacity."
?!
He's low on fuel?! And was just-- barely doing anything about it! He was taking his time and uncaring about it while draining the fish to put the blood in a jar-- he should've just torn into it...
... Does he just. Not care anymore?
[ … 20%? ]
If Athene had the features for it, he would have looked mortified. Instead his optic just opened slightly more than usual, light dimming a little.
[ And you were offering me dinner- ]
She slowly released her end of the hug, pulling Minato to the side a little to get a better view of her blood systems as she settled into a more comfortable sitting position. She wasn’t going to let him just run out while she could do something about it.
He’d dig into the why of such low fuel levels later, for now his focus was clear- at least give him enough to function and have time to gather some more up.
[ Have you got a fuel port I can hook up to? Might be a little more pleasant than a blood shower. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Minato let out a mechanical purr, leaning into Athene's hug. Such a tight grip... He would've been terrified if it was anyone else.
But his sister? ... It's okay... She won't hurt him. Never. Ever...
Right...?
She won't, right?
Right?
...
He's over thinking again. He's scared.
Fuck.
....
He just limps in her arms.
Athene sat there for a while, letting him pass through the motions and thoughts. Whiplash adjusted itself to trace idle circles on his back, a simple gesture but still a calming one.
She’d sit there as long as she had to, as long as it meant he’d be okay at the end of it.
[ Hey. You’ll be alright. ]
Her grip loosened a little, cocking her head at him as she spoke again.
[ … You need any fuel? I can top you up till we get some more fresh stuff in. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Minato leans against Athene, putting his arms around her to hug tight.
"...thank you, sister...."
He said, genuine feelings. He's so happy to know this V2. His little sister who's more of a big sister. He's just happy to have a caring sister at all.
Someone he can count on, cry to, hug, ....
... It's about time he sorts some of his files of her a little.
>Rename Subject_V2 > Subject_Athene
Changes successful.
>Move Subject_Athene to important folder.
Changes successful.
> tag subject_Athene as 'family".
Changes successful.
She relaxed as he sunk into her, returning the hug with her free hand. The other two arms tossed their contents towards the little pile Minato had made earlier before joining in on the hug.
[ Anytime brother. Anytime. ]
There was a pang of guilt somewhere, most likely due to finally finishing processing how he had reacted in the first place- that fear of her was a little too familiar. Logic and reason allowed her to bury it, knowing that at least this time it wasn’t her fault.
She held him. Her grip was slightly tighter than she might have intended, but at this point she didn’t seem bothered. It was good to be useful, even in such circumstances.
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
"sister-- I'm sorry-- I shouldn't be acting like this-! I'm better than this-! I'm supposed to be better than this!"
Minato would break down sobbing if he could naturally cry, instead a cable behind his optic can leak when under stress. It's a fault in his design. But it resembles tears. even if wasting fuel.
Blood drips from his optic like the tears he would be sobbing if human.
"I'm sorry for everything I did to you-- I'm sorry, I'm sorry---"
...
He's apologizing to a V2 he technically never hurt. This isn't even his world's V2; Miori. But this V2, Athene, is his sister. A V2 who still wants to be around him for some reason.
He looks at his sister, shaking so badly. Reaching out towards her, probably for a hug, but he's hesitating badly.
[ No ones perfect, not even us. Take a moment brother, please. ]
Her frail attempts at verbal comfort were clearly falling short but it’s all she could muster.
Noting the cues of his movements, her systems trailed into every nook and cranny of possible ways to help. Her idle hand moved to invite him in closer, opening an offer but not demanding it. Her other hands still clasped some fragments of the broken glass, not quite sure where to put it now.
Minato’s crying only served to make her heart wrench, some sick feeling deep down bubbling up once lost feelings of seeing their own V1 like this before they even left for hell. He couldn’t accept an apology that wasn’t meant for him- and yet, he had to.
[ It’s okay. There’s no hard feelings- I’m here and i’ll keep being here. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
"it should, I mean, it's fresh! And not demonic! Haha..."
Minato held it out, but...
...
CRASH.
He stumbled from a loose nail he didn't notice. Causing the jar to slip from his hands and shatter all over the floor.
His optic and wings turn red in alarm, he immediately gets onto the ground, trembling.
"ah-- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-- I'll fix it ill- I'll clean it up I swear! I'm sorry!"
Minato cried out, picking up pieces of glass shakily, several slipping from his hands again, the longer it takes to clean the more visibly stressed he becomes.
"I'll fix it! I'll fix it--! I just-- need more time-- please--"
He looks up at V2's looming figure, his optic wide and full of fear.
... All it takes is one little movement before he's immediately shielding his head from her. Expecting to be hit.
V2 could only stand there as he processed, before half shuttering his optic and loosening his stance.
[ Brother? ]
He approached slowly, kneeling down next to him, with a clearly cautious demeanour. He wanted to reach out and hold him, comfort him the only way he really knew how to - but the flinching alone told him that any attempt at that would only make things so much worse. So instead knuckleblaster and whiplash found a new place, reaching for a few shards scattered by his knees as he tried to figure out how to handle this.
[ You have time. You aren’t in trouble, I… ]
[ Accidents happen. It’s fine. ]
Her voice hitched, struggling to sound reassuring without teetering into insincerity.
[ I’m not going to hurt you. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
Minato nods, walking back inside to head back to the fish and jar of blood.
"yes, I'm harvesting blood from the fish I caught today. This island has a good source of blood... Especially the blood lake. But the blood there doesn't taste as good as fresh blood."
He can taste the difference?
"so I prefer just getting it from fish."
He holds up a mason jar of fresh blood.
"... Did you want some, sister?"
Please don't hurt me please don't hurt me please. I'm so tired.
[ I mean at least you have a pretty much infinite supply of the fresh stuff here. ]
He followed inside, doubly making sure not to hit his head. A quick scan of the area proved nothing notably amiss, allowing him to focus on the machine before him. He approached, accidentally resuming his oddly looming stance.
The jar of blood seemed rather unremarkable. She hesitated at first, checking her fuel gauges and emergency stocks. Standard cycles were running nominal but the reserves could use a top up. She didn’t want to take too much away from him on account of not knowing his status, but it seemed reasonable to at least accept some- especially with a supply like this.
[ I suppose on an island with everything you ever need you can afford to be a little picky. ]
[ But sure- I’ll have a lil bit. Hopefully it tastes a bit better than my last drink. ]
Another quiet evening on the isle was nothing new. With the usual whistle of the wind and the soft sway of the grass, everything seemed as normal as it could be. However the looming figure staring at you from the edge of the window seems to ruin that completely. It seems like you have a visitor.
> [ @undeadinred ] :)
Machine detected.
> probe.
Machine ID; V2 detected.
...
Minato slowly turns to look at the window, optic blinking. He had been cutting up and draining a few fish of blood to collect.
What is V2 doing here? Did she need something? Did she want to fight? Thoughts raced all around his systems.
... No. No no. If she wanted to hurt me, she would've blasted that window open. Minato reasoned to himself.
He puts the jar of blood down to open the door.
"V2, did.... You need something from me, is something the matter?"
[ Everything is fine. Just thought i’d check in on you. ]
V2’s tone was soft despite his wording, optic brightening. He ceased his looming, instead opting to stand by the doorway in a much more casual manner- but not without making sure to duck to fit under it first.
She had been getting bored in Greed. Unfortunately for him, she still hadn’t found a better way to kill time than to mildly inconvenience those who tolerate your existence the most- so here she was, showing up uninvited.
[ Cooking dinner? ]
