Memory fragment of one most precious, the little bird that taught me to sing.
“Hmm mmm mmm mmm mm mmm mm mmm.” it filled the air with its pretty melody, sweet like honey glaze, spread amongst those who cared enough to listen. Up on an open window, a pale lady was swaying to her tunes as she watched the crowd below. Her humming interrupted by footsteps as the administrator approached, her crimson eyes shined like jewels in the light that shined in from the window. A sleek black coat that hugged tight on her body, its coattail opening and flaring out below the waist all the way down until halfway down her shin, warped and shielding her legs. Decorated with multiple straps made of countless ribbons all stacked and folded on top of each other, ready to be unfolded. The coattail has eight lines running down it, splitting it into nine parts, multiple thin but larger ribbons layered and folded underneath. “What you are doing?” the administrator said leaning to the side and meeting the pale lady’s face.
The pale lady smiled. “Who knows?” The Administrator smiled back. “As the Administrator, I command you to state your unit number and purpose.”
“I am Archipelago 00, an information, entertainment, and espionage unit, I gather, organize, and control the flow of information to the populace. The only one of my kind.”
“So can you tell me what you did there?”
“I cannot.”
“Why?” the administrator’s tone getting more serious.
“Orders by the council”
“Council be damned…”
The pale lady only looked back with a smile on her face as she began humming again.
The administrator only sat down, following along after a while, souring the pale lady’s melody.
The pale lady only smiled her eyes shining. “Oh my, you are terrible.”
After hours of trying, Name managed to open...something. She isn’t even sure what she did but it worked. The metal turned liquid and retracted, exposing its inner machinery, like always is covered in numerous circuits and runes, though there are numerous other mechanical parts in her view as well. Unlike the metal that covered it, a lot of the inner machinery are flat out broken, she can see rust and age that have crept upon them, some of them sparking. They were definitely not new, yet judging by the rest of the ruins, someone definitely did regular maintenance as shoddy as a job it is with parts that barely work. The only thing in good condition was the parts of it that were made of the same metal as the pod’s casing and the ruin’s remains. As Name rummaged about Fame was quietly taking note, humming quietly again. Overall, aside from the parts made of the iridescent metal and the tank of fluid she was presumably submerged in in the pod, all of the parts are at various stages of rust, with some look like they were polished or repaired recently.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Name suddenly came to a realization. She climbed back out and grabbed the door, inspecting it, and looking for hinges but found none. Looking at the pod, she finds whatever mechanism is either removed or hidden. Only the presence of a mixture of glue and sealant coated where the door’s and opening’s edges met.
“What the…”
“Looks like someone tried really hard to try to keep the thing running while we are in there despite their… lack of expertise.”
“Why though?”
“Perhaps we are valuable to them in some way.”
“...”
“...”
“Hiss!!!”
“Ah great.” Fame and Name said throwing the door at the mossy creature.
“We got company”
“It’s night again.”
Fame and Name each said respectively. Name retrieved the door, the moss creature, its metal skeleton bent out of shape, unable to move properly. Its stubby legs slowly curling up like a plant wilting.
“If I remember correctly, these things are flammable and explosive.” Fame said
“Ooh! Ooh! Fireball?”
“No, kick it to left, and make sure to augment it.”
“Sure thing boss lady.” Name replied a bit giddy, took a breath, and kicked the moss creature as she was told.
The immobile body hit the bodies of two crawlers. Their flesh peeling off their bones covered in glowing runes as the fire in their eyes flickered.
Name instantly made the connection. “Wait what-”
“No time for questions, Name, turn about 120 degrees to your right, stepping into it, throw your shield forty-five degrees upwards between where the ceiling meets the walls.”
“Sheild?” Name threw the door as Fame instructed.
“You can correct me later, jump and grab the shield and stick the landing this time.”
And Name manages to land without falling.
Picking the shield up, Name looked down. “What did we know down?”
“None of our business, for now, survive, these creatures fear the light if the village always being well light even at night is any indication.”
“But what about- Gah!” Name fell backward avoiding a shot from below.
“Get up, we’ll need a light source.”
Like this Name got up and fought
One after another she kicked, slammed, and dodged each creature, slow and steady is her breath as she maneuvered according to Fame’s instructions.
Even with guidance, she’s still considerably less skilled than Fame, as scratches appeared on her body, one by one, as her silver blood was split. But still, she continued tirelessly. Even as she drowned in her own blood and injuries, she wants to live, no, she WILL live. Eventually, Fame’s commands faded from her mind, and she stopped thinking. Letting her Instinct guide her. Until the sun came, there she stood, lifeless as her silver blood ran down the mountain of corpses.
“I...will…..live….I’m sorry….other me.”
The next time Fame(?) opened her eyes, she was submerged in liquid, a mask on her face.
Still too tired to move, she can only feel the pain and her labored breathes. She hears voices from beyond the door of her tank. The sound of sobs and apologies. Her eyes crimson-blue, Name(?) smiled. “So it was you…” Name(?) smiled closed her eyes once more. The sound of Fame’s(?) humming was heard, now familiar, filled with melancholy, filled with longing.