[Hey... Null?]

[Yes?]

[There's - there's an upgrade that I've been avoiding. It'll improve your mental capacity by a lot, but there might be some - different - side effects.]

She sounds strangely worried, which is a bit new. Strange side effects are nothing new when it comes to Joule and her upgrades, so if she's concerned, they must be some unusual results.

[Tell me something new. Weird stuff changing me has been for the better so far, and it can't be all that bad compared to upgrading my body.]

[That's a good point in that it won't physically hurt at all, but I don't know what you'll be experiencing when this one happens. It'll directly be affecting your limbic system, or at least the version of the limbic system that you have.]

Again, I'm not overly concerned. Usually, when Joule starts spouting off scientific words I don't understand, I end up gaining some sort of powerful ability, even if it's one I don't need (like the 'subspace').

[Go ahead. I trust you.]

[Okay...]

And I pass out. 

Opening my eyes, I realize that I don't have limbs. Or a body. Or much in the way of anything, really.

"What's going on?"

Did I just talk? It didn't feel like the mental communication I was used to. At any rate, the darkness I'm enveloped in is getting annoying. 

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Joule? Are you there?"

I sense a massive presence approaching. Unlike Noah's abrupt explosion of energy as he appears from wherever he comes from, this feels like a slow tsunami of growing energy.

"...Are you Joule?"

A wave of emotions wash over me, but they don't feel like mine. They feel too... big. 

Finally, a voice speaks, loaded with frustration and annoyance, despite the faint hint of respect buried deep within it.

"Rip-off."

And suddenly I'm back in my body.

[-AKE UP OR SO HELP ME - oh, you're back.]

I shake my head from the volume of her yelling.

[What do you mean, I'm back? Was I gone?]

[Yeah, for about twenty minutes. What happened?]

[I don't know. I don't remember any of it.]

She starts laughing hysterically. It goes on for quite some time.

[What's so funny?]

[I've been sitting here for twenty minutes, yelling at your unresponsive body, and you don't even remember anything about what happened.]

[You disappeared back then, didn't you?]

[I was doing research. That was different.]

[Not much. But enough about me - how are you doing?]

There's a long silence before she answers.

[Did you just ask about my well-being?]

[...Yes?]

[Are you feeling all right?]

I'm a little indignant. 

[Why wouldn't I be?]

[You haven't asked me how I was doing once in the entire time I've known you.]

[I'm sure that's not true.]

[Trust me, it is. I'm going to have to do some work, try and figure out just how much you were affected.]

[Okay. Take your time, we're not in a hurry.]

I feel like she just did a double-take.

[Did you-]

[Yes. Get on with it.]

Her voice is relieved when she responds.

[That's more like the Null I know and love.]

I'm a little startled. 

[You love me?]

[Of course. I may have been built by Noah Cosmic, but I've spent more time with you than anyone else, and your grumpy fast-paced attitude is... refreshing, for some weird reason. Why wouldn't I love you?]

I'm not sure how to explain this.

[You don't really have a... body.]

[Why would that have anything to do with - oh. OH! You thought - and I meant - ]

Joule turned off.